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Salgaocar FC are eager to show their mature side when they face Mohun Bagan AC in an I-League encounter at the Tilak Maidan in Vasco on Sunday afternoon.
There is very little to separate the two sides with Salgaocar FC and Mohun Bagan sharing 18 points each. Even on team strengths, there is little to differentiate, although Salgaocar coach Derrick Pereira is now keen to show that his team have matured during the 60-day break.
“We tried a lot of combinations during the break and also the Federation Cup. Our intention was to strengthen our bench strength,” said Pereira.
Salgaocar FC lost out on a place in the Federation Cup semifinals, and while that may have been a cause for disappointment, the former I-League champions are bristling with confidence following the capture of Nigerian striker MacPherlin Dudu Omagbemi. During his time in India, Dudu finished as the highest goalscorer in the National Football League (NFL) twice. He then left for a stint in Europe and has now returned to Goa with Salgaocar FC.
“He is a lot mature player and will be a huge asset. He will give us an edge upfront,” said Pereira.
Salgaocar have all of their players available for the crucial clash against Mohun Bagan, trained by their former I-League winning coach Karim Bencherifa.
Mohun Bagan faced Salgaocar in the Federation Cup group stage and managed to hold them 1-1, a result that was good enough for them to seal a place in the semifinals where they lost against Churchill Brothers SC.
After the disappointment in the Federation Cup, Bencherifa will look forward to some favourable results in the I-League. With star striker Odafe Onyeka Okolie unavailable, it will be an uphill task for the visitors to take something out of the game.
Mohun Bagan does not have a favourable record against Salgaocar in Goa but coach Karim Bencherifa will be encouraged by the fact that they have already defeated them in the I-League. It were Mohun Bagan who ended Salgaocar’s rollicking start to the I-League and bagged their first win of the season.
