Kolkata, Dec 10 (IANS) Table toppers Bengaluru FC kick off the first of their reverse legs in Airtel I-League football when they take on Mohammedan Sporting at the Salt Lake Stadium here, in an afternoon kick-off, Wednesday.
The last meeting between the two sides ended in a 2-1 win for Ashley Westwood’s team and the Englishman would bank on the fine away form his team have hit, to pull off a double over the Kolkata club.
The Blues have made the trip to Kolkata on the back of a confidence-inducing 1-3 win at Churchill Brothers last week and would be keen to keep the momentum going given the fact that only three points separate second-placed Sporting Clube de Goa from the leaders.
The Sunil Chhetri-led team is on a three-game win streak with the skipper himself leading from the front with four goals in two games.
Meanwhile, Mohammedan have too have a streak going – three goalless draws on the trot that leaves them at 10th position on the table.
However, Westwood knows better than to take Bengaluru’s opponents lightly.
“It may be the second time we are playing Mohammedan but they have a set of new players since then so we aren’t looking at the first game as any indication. For us, this is a separate occasion. Neither side has an advantage over the other and we’ve both got to respect each other’s squads,” said Westwood.
In a bid to make the most of their return to top-flight football count, Mohammedan recently roped in six players on loan from the IMG-R that include Nirmal Chhetri, Ishfaq Ahmed, Mehrajuddin Wadoo, Luis Barreto, Syed Rahim Nabi and Manish Maithani and coach Bola Masood hopes the additions will come good as soon as possible.
After a disappointing set of results away from home, Bengaluru FC put to rest that belief that they do only well only in Bangalore.
“We started off our away games with two losses and a draw but I was never really concerned given the performances the boys turned up with in those games. It’s all about sticking to our plan and being consistent,” he said.
