East Bengal and Mohun Bagan SG both emerged victorious in their second round Group A fixtures. Both Kolkata teams won by a 2-1 scoreline to set up a thrilling high stakes Kolkata derby in the final group stage matchday in Bhubaneswar.
Here are the key talking points from both the games ahead of the final round of fixtures.
Hijazi Maher: East Bengal’s rock at the back
After being signed to fill in for the injury to Jordan Elsey, Hijazi Maher has grown into his role in central defence for East Bengal. The Jordan defender opened the scoring today, and almost kept a clean sheet had the team avoided the needless penalty near the end.
His presence at the back has been transformative, especially due to his towering stature and composed nature on the ball. And it could be vital considering they face their biggest rivals in their next game.
Hyderabad FC slump to another defeat
The Nizams have been struggling due to managerial issues recently, and their two losses against both Kolkata clubs reflected that. They put up a strong fight against Mohun Bagan SG to try and salvage a point from the game, but it just wasn’t meant to be as the Mariners dug deep to pick up another 2-1 win.
Habas in the dugout for Kolkata derby?
After Juan Ferrando’s departure, Antonio Habas has been announced as the new head coach of Mohun Bagan SG. And he could make his return in the derby, after finally receiving his visa. There are rumours that he could join the team on Monday, which would make him available for the next fixture.
In either case, it will be interesting to watch how things play out in the next few days and whether Clifford Miranda ends up taking charge of the derby in the end.
