Division 3 resumes after the winter break on January 8th with teams rearing to go as they try and achieve glory! There are four teams vying for the title while there are four teams in immediate danger of being caught in the relegation fight although Vipers and Bull Ring (7th and 8th respectively) are also not out of the woods yet.
8:00 AM – Amigos FC v Decathlon FC
The first game of the day has Amigos taking on Decathlon in a mouth-watering clash. Amigos have improved with every game and are now a force to reckon with while Decathlon has quietly slid into third place having not lost a game yet. Both have balanced squads so this one might be won on the drawing board. We expect it to be a tight affair with Decathlon having a slight advantage. We don’t expect too many goals but nonetheless it has the potential to be the match of the day.
Players to Watch
Amigos FC: Akhil Kesla
Decathlon FC: Sultan Barnes
Crystal Ball: Amigos FC (1) – (2) Decathlon FC
9:30 AM – Jain University v Engineers United
Next up, Jain University takes on Engineers United in the 9:30 AM clash. Jain University can’t afford to lose any more points if they are to stay in the title race and will be looking to increase their goal difference as well. Engineers United, meanwhile, haven’t been at the top of their game in recent weeks but the break would have given them time to go back to the drawing board to re-strategize. If Engineers can breach Jain’s defence they should be able to come up with a result.
Players to Watch
Jain University: Vignesh Srinivas
Engineers United: Ankit Shetty
Crystal Ball: Jain University (2) – (0) Engineers United
11:00 AM – Joga Bonito v Bangalore Kop
The third game of the day features Joga Bonito and Bangalore Kop. Both teams haven’t had the best of seasons so far but with 6 games to go they have plenty of time to change things around. A win for either of them could see them move out of the red zone and one step closer to safety. Bangalore Kop have added well over the winter transfer window and look set to pick up their first points of the campaign. A win for Joga will be extremely revitalising and a morale booster.
Players to Watch
Joga Bonito: Merwin Rozario
Bangalore Kop: Samuel B
Crystal Ball: Joga Bonito (2) – (2) Bangalore Kop
12:30 PM – Vipers FC v Oldmans Park
The fourth game of the day has Vipers taking on Oldmans Park. Vipers have endured a roller coaster season so far; they started off the season with a bang but their form has since tapered off and they currently lie in seventh place. Oldmans Park are yet to pick up a win but with additions in the window make us believe that they will have a better second half to the season. We expect this game to be a high-scoring affair with Vipers going in with an advantage.
Players to Watch
Vipers FC: Soumyadeep Bakshi
Oldmans Park: Arjun Rao
Crystal Ball: Vipers FC (4) – (2) Oldmans Park
2:15 PM – Bull Ring AFC v Bangalore City FC
The penultimate game of the day has Bull Ring AFC taking on league leaders Bangalore City FC. Bull Ring have had a change in fortunes over the recent weeks having played more as a team on the pitch but they come up against a team who personifies what a team should look like and play in Bangalore City FC. BCFC are in a rampant mood and will be looking to go in no holds barred as they look to extend their lead at the top.
Players to Watch
Bull Ring AFC: Matt B
Bangalore City FC: Klery Lemene
Crystal Ball: Bull Ring AFC (1) – (3) Bangalore City FC
5:45 PM – Sunday Boys v Phoenix FC
The final game of the day has Sunday Boys taking on Phoenix FC. Sunday Boys are currently in second place but are tied with league leaders BCFC and only trail them on goal difference. Phoenix FC have endured a tough season so far with only one win in 5 games but their performances indicate that it’s only a matter of time before they click on the pitch and snatch some victories although starting that run in this game against tough opposition seems unlikely.
Players to Watch
Sunday Boys: Chandhan Pratap
Phoenix FC: Dev Guha
Crystal Ball: Sunday Boys (3) – (1) Phoenix FC
