'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#1 No Sony Norde in opponents' line-up
“No, Sony will not be there tomorrow. He is out for two weeks due to the injury.”
These words from Mohun Bagan coach Sankarlal Chakraborty brought relief among the East Bengal supporters and probably the players too.
East Bengal coach will be facing their arch-rivals for the first time on Sunday. But the supporters and some of the players know very well what the Haitian playmaker can do.
It’s true that Norde has scored only one goal in this fixture out of seven occasions. But he can create instant fear among the rival defenders with his tricky moves and dribbling.
It’s true that Mohun Bagan outplayed East Bengal early this year without Norde. The Haitian had also not played in the last meeting between the two clubs in the Calcutta Football League (CFL). But Norde is an omnipresent figure of the Green and Maroon club and his absence will surely be an advantage for East Bengal.
Pintu Mahata, who could have filled the void, will also miss the game on Sunday. If East Bengal defenders could cut the link between the midfielders and strikers for those 90 minutes, the match could be theirs.
