HFC take on rejuvenated East Bengal
Vasco, Jan. 23: Bolstered by their maiden win of the season, SC East Bengal will look to build on their momentum when they take on Hyderabad FC in the Indian Super League here on Monday.
Naorem Mahesh Singh scored a brace as SC East Bengal logged their first three points after 11 games to move from the foot of the table. New coach Mario Rivera got off to a winning start after taking charge and the red and gold brigade hope the Spaniard can mastermind a turnaround.
“When you win, the vibe around the training ground is always better. While the previous win doesn’t make the next matches easier, but it does help a lot in terms of the confidence of the players,” Rivera said.
East Bengal will welcome
star winger Antonio Perosevic after a fivematch suspension.
Despite playing just seven games this season, Perosevic their top scorer with two goals and an
assist.
SC East Bengal will also have the services of new Brazilian recruit Marcelo Ribeiro who joined training last week.
Hyderabad, on the other
hand, have been winless in the last three games. They are placed fourth in the table but a win is absolutely necessary for them to stay in the fray for top four with teams like
Mumbai City FC, Odisha FC and ATK Mohun Bagan breathing down their neck.
Hyderabad will have Bart Ogbeche returning but Javier Siverio has made a strong case after scoring the only goal for Hyderabad in their 1-1 draw against Chennaiyin, his third goal in four games, posing a good headache for the head coach
“When we went eight games unbeaten, we were always in the run for the top spots. Now, the situation is, if we win tomorrow, we will be back in the higher positions on the table. In this case, the opponents are not important. Does not matter if SC East Bengal are in the lower half of the table. We have a game and we have to win,” said head coach Manolo Marquez. —