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East Bengal would be cautious when they lock horns with Peerless in their Calcutta Football League fixture on Monday, 9 September afternoon. While East Bengal have made a sensational comeback after the loss against George Telegraph in the opening game, Peerless are oozing with confidence after their back to back wins against defending champions Mohun Bagan, Kalighat MS and BSS Sporting Club.
Team Focus
East Bengal
The red and gold brigade brushed off a late upset in their last match against Southern Samity. After leading by 2 goals, they conceded a late goal and could have easily lost a couple of points in the contest. East Bengal cannot afford to be complacent for even a single second or it could have serious consequences.
After leaving out Jaime Santos Colado in the Kolkata Derby, coach Alejandro Menendez started the Spaniard against Southern Samity.
The change had a positive effect on the team as the midfield became more active in comparison to the match against Mohun Bagan. Nevertheless, Lalrindika Ralte was the hero of the match having swung in two inch-perfect corner kicks to set up the two goals. It is expected that they would get a start against Peerless.
East Bengal will bank on Bidyasagar Singh to get the goals for his team, while Boithang Haokip will play the supporting act. Borja Gomez Perez played a full match after quite some time on Thursday and was impressive at the back. Meanwhile, Kamalpreet Singh and Abhishek Ambekar will play in their regular side-back positions.
Peerless
Peerless have scored 11 goals in their last three games which is a testimony to the striking power that they possess with the likes of Liberian Ansumana Kromah and World Cupper Anthony Wolfe. Kromah has been the standout performer for Peerless this season. Former NEROCA FC player Varney Kallon will take charge of their defence in the upcoming match. For the record, East Bengal were on the losing side the last time these two sides met.
Key Players
Bidyasagar Singh (East Bengal)
Bidyasagar Singh has been among the top goal scorers for East Bengal this season. Having scored 5 goals in the Durand Cup last month, the striker has also been in good form in the Calcutta Football League.
He scored the opening goal in the last match with a header from Lalrindika’s delivery from the corner spot. Bidyasagar is filling in the void created by outgoing footballer Jobby Justin, who had a prolific goal scoring record last season. He is the vital cog for East Bengal in the upcoming fixture.
Ansumana Kromah (Mohun Bagan)
The Liberian forward is having a great run at the club, having already helped Peerless finish the second position in the Calcutta Football League last season. He started with the same intensity in this season too. So far, he is the highest goal scorer in the league with 8 strikes to his name. The African scored the first goal in a 2-1 win over East Bengal when these two sides crossed paths last year. Kromah is known for scoring against big teams, he is the man to watch out for on Monday afternoon.
Recent record
East Bengal
L-W-W-D-W
Peerless
D-L-W-W
Match Information
East Bengal vs Peerless
Date: 9th September 2019
Kick-off: 3:00 PM IST
Live Stream: Sadhna News, Sadhna News YouTube channel
Venue: East Bengal Ground, Kolkata
Prediction
We are up for a neck to neck contest at the East Bengal ground. The hosts will face a still challenge from the minnows, but it is unlikely that they would stage an upset.
Score prediction: East Bengal 2-1 Peerless
