Quess East Bengal will fight it out against defending Calcutta Football League (CFL) champions Mohun Bagan in their fourth fixture of the regional league at the Salt Lake stadium on September 1.
The Red and Gold brigade are riding high on confidence after they registered a comfortable 3-0 victory against Aryan FC whereas Mohun Bagan had a comparatively tougher time against BSS SC to register a 2-1 victory.
Preview, Prediction and Schedule
Quess East Bengal, after facing defeat at the hands of Gokulam Kerala in the semi-finals of the Durand Cup, mended their ways in the CFL. They delivered a clinical performance against the giant killers Aryan FC. The Red and Gold Brigade did not let their opponents get hold of the match and were continuously knocking the doors of the Aryan defence.
Jaime Santos Colado, who has been in superb form this season, was twice on target in the second half while skipper Lalrindika Ralte drew first blood in the 41st minute by placing it past the hapless Aryan goalkeeper from a Brandon Vanlalremdika pass. The century-old club dominated the game in both the halves and could have scored more if in form striker Bidyasagar Singh had not missed a few sitters.
The defence of the Red and Gold Brigade had been not up to the mark when the season started but in the previous match, it looked solid as marquee defender Marti Crespi led from the front.
Alejandro Menendez's men mostly will bank on their attack with Santos, Bidyasagar and Pintu Mahata in form when they take the field against Bagan. Spanish striker Marcos Espada is not likely to start but he may come on as a sub in the second half.
On the other hand, Mohun Bagan after facing a defeat at the hands of Gokulam Kerala in the final of the Durand Cup 2019 had a minor hiccup in their third CFL fixture against BSS SC.
The Green and Maroon Brigade registered their first victory in the CFL with goals from Salva Chamorro and Nongdamba Naorem in both the halves. The Mariners took the lead in the match with the goal from Chamorro but William Opoku equalised three minutes later.
Finally, Naorem's goal in the 47th minute helped Bagan register a 2-1 victory. With Joseba Beitia in the mid-field the Mariners ball supply upfront has been good in this season but their striker Chamorro need to be at his peak against East Bengal.
The biggest worry for Bagan coach Kibu Vicuna will be his team's defence. They have conceded in six out of the eight matches they have played this season. With Lalramchullova probably getting a start it will be interesting to see how he performs against his former club.
The Kolkata derby is one of the biggest derby matches in the world. It is a matter of respect for fans of both sides. The match will be a highly contested fixture but the final score-line might be a draw. The Quess East Bengal-Mohun Bagan fixture will start at 3 PM IST.
TV listings, live Streaming and how to watch in India
The match will be telecasted on Sadhna News and live streaming can be watched on Sadhna News Youtube and Addatimes app for mobile and website for PC.
