I-League Preview: Pune challenge for Dempo

Iraq and Pune are a sea apart and travel-weary Dempo SC will realise it the hard way when they re-launch their I-League football championship campaign on a renewed note. They may be down but are not yet as they still have a chance of grabbing the title despite currently being in the fourth position.

It’s not easy to recover from a solitary goal loss to Duhok after dominating the entire match, but this is a different pitch when they take on Pune FC at the Balewadi Sports Complex on Friday. The kick-off is slated for 6pm.

While for Dempo the match has immense significance, it will be a fight for pride for the home side. They, however, will try to show their might and prove that the position they are in this season is not testimony of what they are on a given day.

And if some of the past results are taken into consideration, Pune FC has the arsenal to spoil Dempo’s title chances.

Currently seventh on the League standings with 30 points, the home side will take advantage of a tired Dempo squad and extract every possible mileage that is possible.

For the record, Dempo, on 47 points is placed fourth and they need to win all their remaining matches if they are to stand a chance of lifting the title. Pune FC stay at the 7^th spot with 30 points from 24 matches.

“The game is more about us than them (Dempo SC). We have set our sights to be in the top-5,” Derrick Pereira, the Pune FC coach said.

Having fallen out of the race of the title, Pereira maintains, “We are as good as any other team and this includes doing well against teams who have been frontrunners for the title this season.”

“As a team they are experienced and matured. Add the fact that they are fighting for the title, beating them will be tough. So we have our task cut out,” he added.

Pune FC have two major concerns—striker Edmar Figueira is down with a hamstring injury and is unlikely to play, while left-wing back Gurjinder Kumar is out with a double booking. Subhash Singh will replace Edmar upfront.

In the past four meetings, both Pune FC and Dempo SC have won one match each while two have ended in 1-1 draws. Interestingly, both draws were recorded at Pune, so a win here will be a first for either side.