MATCH PREVIEW: SPORTING GOA VS DEMPO SC

GOA: Sporting Clube de Goa are confident of saving their season and hope to kick off their winning run against Dempo Sports Club in a Hero I-League clash at Fatorda on Saturday.

Sporting Clube are winless and at the bottom of the table but coach Mathew Costa believes his team can get back on track if they notch their first win.

“We just need to start winning. We have a good team and the players have been doing well but we have been unlucky,” the coach said.

Sporting Clube had more shots on goal than hosts Bengaluru FC in their last Hero I-League clash but still ended up losing 4-1, thanks largely due to an ineffective defence. Sporting Clube lost their captain Anthony Wolfe to injury as well.

“It’s a matter of time before we get our first win but we have to start winning quick,” said the Sporting coach.

Sporting Clube lost 0-3 against Dempo in the first leg and Dempo Sports Club remain confident they can repeat the same result even though many of their players, including striker Tolgay Ozbey, are nursing injuries.

“Compared to what we were doing in the Federation Cup, this I-League performance is not on the same lines. It’s largely because of the unavailability of players,” said Dempo assistant coach Aaron Simmons.

The Australian coach said two of the foreign players who missed the last match — Haroon Amiri and Carlos Hernandez — will both return for the Sporting clash but there were still doubts over the availability of their main striker Tolgay Ozbey.

Dempo, too, have been struggling in the Hero I-League after their glorious run in the Hero Federation Cup early this year where they only lost to Bengaluru FC in the final. Dempo played free-flowing and attractive football but with injuries plaguing their side, they have not been able to replicate the same form.

Dempo, interestingly, have won only one match in this edition of the I-League and that came against Sporting Clube. They are placed ninth with nine points from 10 matches.

WAHINGDOH HOLD BENGALURU IN SIX-GOAL THRILLER

MUMBAI: Mumbai FC suffered their second straight defeat after a massive 6-0 loss to Shillong Lajong in the Round 14 match of the Hero I-League at Cooperage on Friday. This was Mumbai’s first loss at Cooperage since returning here this season after a hiatus of five years.

Glen Cornell (21′, 51′), Penn Orji (25′), Zodingliana Ralte (47′), Ulliams Souza Silva (92nd) and Milan Singh (94th) were on target for SLFC, who outclassed Mumbai with their quick passing game and sharpness inside the attacking third.

Mumbai were forced to make a couple of changes to their starting line-up, with Climax Lawrence returning in the midfield in place of Taisuke Matsugae and Nidhin Lal replacing Kunal Sawant as goalkeeper. However, the changes did not spur them on and the Mumbai defence struggled to match their opponents.

After a slow start, the game burst into life in the 21st minute. Robin Gurung tried his luck from the edge of the box. Although his shot was heading wide, Lal decided to play safe but his feeble save fell in the path of a Lajong player, who squared it towards Cornell.

The Trinidadian World Cupper who was waiting near the penalty spot coolly tapped it in to give the visitors the lead. Even before they could recover from the setback, Mumbai went behind by two. Seiminlen Doungel made a run inside the box from the right and cut it back towards Orji. His first-time shot deflected off Mumbai defender Justin Stephen and found the back of net.

SLFC controlled the game for rest of the half, giving little space and possession to Mumbai. Any hopes of a Mumbai comeback were killed early in the second half by the visitors, who scored two beautifully worked goals.

In the 47th minute, Doungel spotted an overlapping run on the right by Aibor Khongjee and played it in his path. Khongjee crossed it towards an unmarked Ralte, whose first shot was stopped by Lal but could not keep the rebound out.

Four minutes later, Cornell and Orji played a one-two inside the box before the former put it past Lal. Ulliams and Milan scored twice in injury time to rub salt to Mumbai’s wounds.

Lajong could have scored a few more goals but could not take their chances. Mumbai, meanwhile, failed to create even one clear-cut chance throughout the match.