NEW DELHI: Currently enjoying a seven-match unbeaten streak, SC East Bengal will have their task cut out as they come fact-to-face with table toppers Mumbai City FC at the Tilak Maidan Stadium on Friday.
The Red and Golds are currently 10th with 12 points from as many games but a win would see them equal on points with NorthEast United FC who are fifth on the table.
At the start of the season, not many would have thought that possible considering the poor start. Their opponents, on the other hand, have been touted as the favourites for the title and are top of the pile with 26 points from 11 outings. They are currently on a ten-match unbeaten run.
While the Kolkata giants have certainly improved their attacking aspect with the arrival of Bright Enobakhare, defensive woes still exist. No team has conceded as many goals as them in the second half (13) and even more worryingly for Robbie Fowler, they have conceded five times in the last 15 minutes of the match.
"Mumbai are a good side and they have been doing really well but we have to concentrate on our own style, the way we have for the last seven matches. I think the boys have worked really hard. It's not easy to get results. We have seen the first four matches and only after the Kerala match (1-1 draw) in the first leg, the boys have been doing really well. It's a process that we cannot skip. We have been in a good process now and we need to get some wins now," assistant coach Renedy Singh observed.
Sergio Lobera has warned his team to expect a tougher fight this time around after the first leg had ended 3-0 in favour of the team from Mumbai.
"I feel it would be a mistake if we play tomorrow's game thinking about our last match against East Bengal. They are a completely different team. They have improved their level a lot. In their last [few] games, you can see that it's difficult to find spaces in their half and to defend against some of their players. But we have our focus on improving some things because it is obviously possible to do some things better," Lobera averred.