'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAKAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFwAAAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwQGB//aAAgBAQAAAAA9bian/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABf/aAAgBAhAAAAAn/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAf/aAAgBAxAAAAB//8QAIhAAAQQCAQQDAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBBEABSESEyMxQVGS/9oACAEBAAE/AF7ySvdbGDFYmymVOBLL/boAKpSKXXqq5okkkfN4JOgWAt4xQ6rlXkrn9ZGkvoYHQ+6m1i6WRdWBhJ+zn//EABoRAAEFAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIAAQMREiH/2gAIAQIBAT8AnNzrPF//xAAYEQADAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAhEABP/aAAgBAwEBPwBupoIN/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
After winning Sunday’s high voltage derby against archrivals Mohun Bagan AC, East Bengal now face another Kolkata side in United SC at the Salt Lake Stadium on Thursday evening.
The win against Mohun Bagan moved East Bengal up to eighth with ten points from six matches and they are eight points off the top with still four games in hand. United SC also won in the last round as they defeated Dempo SC 2-1 in Goa thanks to a brace from Liberian playmaker Eric Brown to go fourth.
Trending
East Bengal coach Armando Colaco wants his side to remain grounded and not get carried away by Sunday’s result as they will be up against a United SC side that has won their last two matches.
The red-and-gold brigade will be without the services of their top scorer so far in this I-League campaign, James Moga, as the South Sudan striker is away on international duty. Club captain Mehtab Hossain is also set to miss out because of an injury he picked-up against Mohun Bagan on Sunday.
East Bengal haven’t won back-to-back games in the I-League since February and Colaco is well aware that his side must find consistency if they want to win their first Indian league title since 2004.
“Every match is difficult in the I-League. One has to remain focused from the first to the last minute. I have been telling the boys to forget about the last result because it is just one match. We need to start fresh and give a good performance against United SC,” the five-time I-League winning coach was quoted as saying.
His counterpart Eelco Schattorie has plenty of respect for East Bengal and considers them as the favourites for the I-League crown. But the Dutchman has full faith in his team to take maximum points from this clash and build some momentum themselves.
“We had a few draws earlier but have won our last two games so the confidence level is good going into this tough match. Hopefully we will be able to get another good result,” Schattorie stated.
The other subplot of this fixture will be the fact United SC’s star striker Ranti Martins Soleye will be up against his former mentor Armando Colaco. The East Bengal coach still calls the Nigerian ‘my boy’ but Ranti will be determined as ever to get on the scoresheet against Colaco’s side having only scored in three of the nine matches that he has played this season.
Both teams have recorded three wins each in ten previous I-League meetings but United SC are unbeaten in the last four and will be aiming to extend that run on Thursday.
