The Kolkata giants will fight tooth and nail to win against each other in a virtual title-decider.
A defining feature of football fans is their passion for the game. And in Kolkata, before a derby between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, the passion and excitement of both fans and players tend to go through the roof. The derby is never going to be about the 11 men on the pitch playing for 90 minutes. It is about the 52,000-plus inside who wanted to push their side over the line.
After being undefeated in all the games, the stage is set for the decades old arch-rivals Mohun Bagan and East Bengal to battle it out in the ever intensive Kolkata Derby on 2nd September in the iconic Yuva Bharati Krirangan, also known as the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
The much-anticipated encounter will be the first Calcutta Football League Derby in the newly renovated Salt Lake Stadium. The last CFL Derby played here was way back in 2015.
Mohun Bagan comes into this game at the back of a 2-0 win over Aryan Club. The Mariners have clinched six wins and a draw from seven games. They are on top of the of the table with 19 points with a +13 Goal difference.
East Bengal also has six wins and a draw from their seven games with equal points and identical goal difference (+13). They are second in the table due to their goal ratio i.e 14 compared to Mohun Bagan’s 16. East Bengal registered a hard-fought 2-1 win over Geroge Telegraph in the last Calcutta Football League tie.
Statistics of last five Derby:-
09.04.2017 – MB 2-1 EB
14.05.2017 – MB 2-0 EB
24.09.2017 – MB 2-2 EB
03.12.2017 – MB 1-0 EB
21.01.2018 – MB 2-0 EB
Mohun Bagan:-
With Dicka and Henry among the goals along with Arijit Bagui and Azharuddin at the flanks, the Bagan line up is expected to be an unchanged one. The Bagan side has been scoring at a high ratio in the league so fa., Thus it should not be a problem for Coach Shankarlal Chakrabarty in picking up the team.
Squad : Shilton Paul(gk & c), Shankar Roy, Kingsley Obumneme, Gurjinder Kumar, Arijit Bagui, Britto PM, Amey Ranawade, Abhishek Ambekar, Lalchhawnkima, Shilton D’Silva, Pintu Mahata, Mehtab Hossain, Sourav Das, Abhinas Ruidas, Tirthankar Sarkar, William Lalnunfela, Dipanda Dicka, Henry Kisekka, Azhuaruddin Mallick, Sourav Das, Abhinas Ruidas, Tirthankar Sarkar, William Lalnunfela, Dipanda Dicka, Henry Kisekka, Azharuddin Mallick, Moinuddin Khan
Predicted Line-up for Mohun Bagan (4-4-1-1): Shilton (GK), Ambekar, Gurjinder, Eze Kingsley, Britto, Sourav Das, Shilton de Silva, Arijit Bagui, Pintu Mahata, Kisekka, Dicka.
East Bengal:-
With Johnny Acosta finally signing on the dotted lines for East Bengal in the IFA office, the Costa Rican is all set to make his East Bengal debut at the professional level on Sunday when he takes to the field against arch-rivals Mohun Bagan.
Lalrozama Fanai still stays injured and it out of the team. Brandon Vanlalremdika has suffered a slight nick during the matches and can be kept out from the action.
Squad : Sanchayan, Prakash, Lalchanhima, Ginkaholen, Yami, Suranjit, Rahul, Mirshad, Bidyasagar Singh, Brandon, Manoj Mohammed, Gurmukh, Kaushik, Samad Ali (C), Rakshit Dagar (GK), Jobi Justin, Lalrindika Ralte, Laldanmawia, Aidara, Mehtab, Gagandeep, Surabuddin, Al-Amna, Abhra Mondal, Lalramchullova, Kamalpreet Singh, Kingshuk, Acosta, Ubaid
Predicted Line-up for East Bengal (4-4-2) : Dagar (GK), Acosta, Mehtab, Kinsghuk, Lalramchullova, Kassim, Amna, Brandon, Laldanmawia, Surabuddin, Jobby.
Key Players:-
Dipanda Dicka (Mohun Bagan) :
Scored 7 goals in 4 matches making him one of the best strikers of the league.
Mahmoud Al-Amna (East Bengal):
His excellent ability to hold up play will provide enough time for the two wingers at the flanks to draw their runs for effective wing play.
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