#3 Sony Norde vs Ashutosh Mehta
Ashutosh Mehta will probably face the biggest challenge of his season on Saturday afternoon. In Sony Norde, the 26-year-old right-back will encounter one of the league’s best players. Haitian Norde has been in inspired form for Mohun Bagan of late. His crucial goals in the Kolkata derby and last weekend’s 1–0 win over Minerva Punjab have kept his team in the title hunt.
The jet-heeled Norde is among this season’s highest fouled players because his baller feet makes teams mark him aggressively, often with more than one man. Mehta is sure to have his task cut out to stop Norde, who is almost always the preferred attacking outlet for Bagan.
For a right-back who loves to bomb forward, Mehta’s role on Saturday could be a more defensive one. That will, in turn, have an impact on Aizawl’s attacking designs. However, letting Norde dictate proceedings will be akin to shooting themselves in the foot for Aizawl. Mehta has to be at his 100 percent since someone like Norde needs only one moment to prove his genius.
