Jamshedpur FC look to press claim for berth in top four

Jamshedpur FC have a chance to take a giant leap when they take on league leaders Bengaluru FC at the Kalinga Stadium here on Sunday. With just two games left for them to play, a win over Bengaluru may not lock a spot for Jamshedpur FC in the playoffs, but it will give them some respite approaching the final game and put pressure on the chasing pack of Kerala Blasters and FC Goa, both of whom will be keeping a keen eye on game.

Even though recognising the importance of the game at hand, Jamshedpur head coach Steve Coppell, however, feels it’s not a do-or-die situation for his team.

“We have been in that situation for the last five games where people have said it is (over), and we have done fairly well in such situations. So, we are looking forward to the game and relishing the challenge,” he said at the prematch press conference.

Coppell’s men have been in red-hot form in recent weeks picking up 10 out of a possible 12 points in their last four games. Commenting on their good form, Coppell said, “In the first half of the season, we had a lot of draws and in the last 5-6 games, we have managed to convert those draw into wins.”

Even though Bengaluru FC have already sealed a spot in the playoffs, their coach Albert Roca believes his team needs to keep up the winning momentum going into the playoffs.

“We have to put in a strong performance in the final two games because that will help us be ready for the playoffs. We must also remember that we play the AFC Cup games in between the playoffs so we can’t take any game easy,” the Spanish tactician said at the press conference.

Having gone down to Jamshedpur FC at home in the reverse fixture, Bengaluru will also be looking to take the game as a chance to redeem themselves. Speaking about his opponents, Roca added, “Jamshedpur know they need a good result to seal their play-off berth. So we are expecting a tough game.”

BHUBANESHWAR: A WIN OVER BENGALURU MAY NOT LOCK A SPOT FOR JAMSHEDPUR IN PLAYOFFS, BUT WILL GIVE THEM RESPITE BEFORE THE FINAL GAME

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