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Perennial arch-rivals in Kolkata football, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, will cross swords against each other one more time on Sunday, 27th January in what will be the second I-League Kolkata derby of the 2018-19 season. In their previous meeting, East Bengal overwhelmed Mohun Bagan 3-2 in front of 64,867 fans. The Green and Maroons will be eyeing for nothing less than three points to satiate themselves.
A lot of fans and pundits underestimate the importance of Indian players in the Kolkata Derby. One ought to remember that it was Bhaichung Bhutia, an Indian, who scored the hat-trick in East Bengal's 4-1 win in the 1997 Federation Cup semi-finals in front of 131,781 fans.
The foreigners are usually the cynosure of the eye, dazzling everyone with their impeccable skills. However, the Indian players have proved time and again that they are no less than their foreign counterparts. This Kolkata Derby, watch out for these five Indian players whose performance will make or break their team's plans.
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#5 Laldanmawia Ralte (East Bengal)
Laldanmawia Ralte completed the move to East Bengal alongside numerous Aizawl FC imports when Khalid Jamil took charge of the club. This Sunday, his mentor and coach will be on the opposite corner and the 26-year-old would like to show him what he learnt from him.
Laldanmawia Ralte has already scored four goals in the season for East Bengal, the second highest among the Indians. If not marked properly, the right winger could be a nuisance for Mohun Bagan.
The Green and Maroons' center-backs aren't the quickest in the league. Already having a telepathic understanding with Lalrindika Ralte and Joby Justin, his pace and ability to cut through the left back and the left center-back from the blindside is something that will captivate the fans.
#4 Abhishek Ambekar (Mohun Bagan)
After guiding Minerva Punjab to the I-League championship in 2017-18 season, Abhishek Ambekar signed the deal with Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan. Needless to say, he has been an influential figure in the left-back position and, his battle with Laldanmawia Ralte can decide the outcome of the match.
Sony Norde rarely tracks back to help out the defense in the left wing, making Ambekar's job a much tougher one. However, he manages it with aplomb. Even when surging forward to help the Haitian in attack, he sprints back quickly to ensure that the left wing doesn't become vulnerable to counter-attack.
Since Khalid Jamil has taken charge, Mohun Bagan hasn't conceded a single goal and won back-to-back matches against NEROCA and Minerva Punjab. This Sunday, Abhishek Ambekar will ensure their record remains intact.
#3 Lalrindika Ralte (East Bengal)
A dead ball specialist. A holding player. A visionary passer. Lalrindika Ralte has all the ingredients in appropriate composition to make him a complete midfielder. He might have lost his ability to smother the back of the net with long-range efforts, but he covers it with a new bow in the arsenal.
Lalrindika Ralte is one of the very few midfielders in India who can both inswing and outswing his set-pieces, reminding the viewers of Clifford Miranda and Steven Dias.
The Mizo has already bagged five assists and one goal in this season for East Bengal, and would be raring to add more in his tally. He plays just in front of the back-four alongside Kassim Aidara. So, marking him out will be useless as his main threat in the run of play is incisive passes and diagonal crosses.
If Enrique Esqueda and Joby Justin can catch the Mohun Bagan defenders napping, Lalrindika Ralte will punish him from the back itself.
#2 SK Faiaz (Mohun Bagan)
Mohun Bagan has a peculiar problem of not having a prolific U-23 player in their ranks. As a result, SK Faiaz is yet to start for the Green and Maroons after coming on loan from ATK. However, he is an avid reader of the game and, once he comes off the bench to play in right wing position, he becomes a nuisance for the defenders.
Even in the previous Kolkata Derby, his pace and trickery wreaked havoc on the East Bengal defenders. It was evident that their left-back Lalramchullova was having trouble containing him and, Alejandro Menendez had to specially deploy an extra defensive midfielder Kamalpreet Singh to prevent him from providing the equalizer.
Shankarlal Chakraborty brought him just before the half-time whistle in the previous Kolkata Derby, But, given that Mohun Bagan fans' pride are on the line this time, Khalid Jamil might introduce him much earlier and make a mockery of the U-22 rule.
#1 Joby Justin (East Bengal)
Blessed with a blistering pace and astounding dribbling skills, Jobby Justin's skillset matches that of a winger. However, it is his ability of being a fox in the box and being at the right place at the right time that sets him apart as a striker.
The Keralite might have missed a lot of sitters in the league so far, but when the team requires him the most, he never disappoints. This can be exemplified by the fact that he scored an overhead kick in the previous Kolkata Derby when the scoreline was level on terms.
As mentioned before, SK Faiaz was wreaking havoc on the East Bengal defense and, his overhead kick jolted Mohun Bagan's attacking plans at the stroke of half-time. Another weapon in his arsenal, dropping down deep and drawing defenders to free the midfielders up front unmarked can come handy.
Jobby Justin has already bagged 3 assists by doing the same, and found the back of the net seven times with his predatory striking skills. This Sunday, he will be raring to add more goals and assists in his tally.
