I-League: Five key fixtures until the March international break

The I-League resumes with one rearranged match on Tuesday and a few more at the weekend. Here are five fixtures to look forward to until the international break in early March.

The list is in chronological order

Churchill Brothers vs Rangdajied United (Tuesday, February 11)

The I-League doesn’t end until April but this fixture already looks like a relegation six-pointer as rock-bottom Churchill Brothers host second-from-bottom Rangdajied United. The Goan club are high on confidence following their Federation Cup triumph last month but have their work cut out to survive in the I-League. Rangdajied ended 2013 strongly as they have lost only one of their last seven I-League matches and got a couple of creditable draws against East Bengal and Bengaluru in the Federation Cup. The reverse fixture ended 1-1 in Shillong but Churchill Brothers have the chance now to make the most of their home advantage and take maximum points which would see them go above Rangdajied. The I-League holders also have a match in hand so victory in this fixture could be significant while Santosh Kashyap’s side have a golden opportunity to go five clear of Churchill but even a draw will be a decent result for them.

Pune FC vs Sporting Clube (Sunday, February 16; LIVE on Ten Action)

The two teams will go into this game with contrasting run of forms as Pune have won just one of their last 10 games in all competition since the end of November and they haven’t even kept a clean sheet in that period. On the other hand Sporting Clube reached the Federation Cup final and ended 2013 with four straight victories in the I-League, a sequence that has kept them in the title mix much to the surprise of many. Earlier in the season Sporting Clube ended Pune’s unbeaten start with a 2-0 victory in Goa and the visitors also had their goalkeeper sent off. Mike Snoei’s side will now be seeking revenge but more importantly look to end the poor run of form and revive their title challenge. With Bengaluru FC not in action in this round, both clubs will have the chance to put pressure on the league leaders with Sporting also having the possibility of going joint top.

Mohammedan Sporting vs Sporting Clube (Friday, February 28; LIVE on Ten Action)

Despite spending heavily in the summer Mohammedan Sporting find themselves in the relegation battle but they have good memories of their meeting with Sporting Clube back in October as they won 3-1 in Goa. It was possibly the Kolkata club’s best performance since their return to the top flight this season and a similar display will be necessary if they want to get another result against title chasing Sporting Clube. For Oscar Bruzon’s side though it will be an ideal test of their title aspirations as only two teams have beaten Mohammedan in Kolkata this season and interestingly both those sides are Sporting’s fellow title contenders Pune and Bengaluru. So the Flaming Oranje can’t afford to drop points while a victory would enhance the growing self-belief of their young squad. However Sanjoy Sen’s Mohammedan side would look to do the double over the Goan outfit in a bid to stay clear of the drop zone and also improve their chances of finishing in the top half.

East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan (Saturday, March 1; LIVE on Ten Action)

The third and final big Kolkata derby of the season is significant for each side for different reasons. Title favourites East Bengal need to win to maintain their consistency in the hope of ending the long wait for a league crown but arch-rivals Mohun Bagan will be desperate to claim the bragging rights and bring some joy to their fans who are set to endure a fourth straight trophyless season. In fairness even a draw could give Mohun Bagan supporters something to cheer about as it would dent the title hopes of East Bengal, who can’t afford too many slip-ups especially in home games after dropping 15 points from their first 11 fixtures. The red-and-gold brigade also have the added incentive of doing the double over their fierce rivals for the first time in I-League history while the Mariners are aiming for their second straight derby success of this campaign after winning the Calcutta Football League fixture 1-0 in January.

Rangdajied United vs Bengaluru FC (Saturday, March 1)

Photo Credit: Bengaluru FC

Bengaluru FC started 2014 at the I-League summit after a dream start to their debut campaign with nine wins from their first 15 games. This fixture will be the first of their remaining six away matches and Ashley Westwood’s side need maximum points to give the squad more self-belief for the rest of the run-in. Bengaluru comfortably won the reverse fixture 3-0 at home but Rangdajied are a much improved team now, a proof of which was evident in the 1-1 stalemate at the Federation Cup last month. Rangdajied have lost only two of their first six home matches and will have every reason to believe that they can cause an upset in this match also, having beaten another title contender Pune after overcoming a two-goal deficit in December. Bengaluru haven’t done too badly on their travels with three wins in six games but unlike the early stages of the season they have to meet the expectations of their growing fanbase so three points are a must if they want to remain on course for the title.