ISL: Can in-form Chennaiyin F‘East’ on Bengal?

CHENNAI: A high-on-confidence Chennaiyin FC will look to register three Indian Super League wins on the trot when it takes on a struggling SC East Bengal in a Season 8 fixture at the Tilak Maidan in Vasco on Friday.

Chennaiyin and East Bengal have made contrasting starts to their respective ISL campaigns. While CFC has earned six points from two victories in as many matches, the winless SCEB has secured only a solitary point from its three games thus far.

East Bengal is just a spot above the bottom of the table due to its poor early-season form, but Chennaiyin head coach Bozidar Bandovic isn’t taking the Kolkata giant lightly. “We have to respect our opponent. Irrespective of the past results, it (SCEB) will be focussed on the game. It wants to win the game and make a comeback,” Bandovic, who masterminded CFC’s wins over Hyderabad FC and NorthEast United FC, said.

“Some people may think that it (East Bengal) has conceded [as many as] 10 goals, but we need to stay concentrated and disciplined [throughout the game]. We need to be ready, which we are. We have a chance to make it three wins in a row, so we will have to do the job on the field,” Bandovic spoke of SCEB’s defensive frailties.

While Chennaiyin is one of the three unbeaten teams, Montenegrin tactician Bandovic stressed that there is a long way to go in the competition. “I am happy that we have won two games, but we know that we can do better. As I said earlier, the most important thing is how we finish and not how we start. But of course, we have had a very good start [to the season], which will boost our confidence,” said Bandovic.

THURSDAY’S RESULT: Jamshedpur FC 1 (G Stewart 41) drew with Hyderabad FC 1 (B Ogbeche 56)