Mohammedan Sporting coach Shankar Moitra with (from left) Shahnawaz Iqbal Khan, Dipendu Biswas and Hussain Mustafi on Saturday. Picture by Santosh Ghosh

Calcutta, Dec. 13: In search of their maiden win in the National Football League (NFL), Mohammedan Sporting will go all out against visitors Vasco SC on Sunday.

“Just a win, we need just a win and everything will fall in place thereafter,” said Mohammedan Sporting’s technical adviser P.K. Banerjee, his words carrying shades of desperation as well.

This also, perhaps, tells the story of a team whose confidence seems to have hit the rock-bottom after a string of defeats spanning a number of tournaments. Since Mohammedan Sporting’s loss to Mahindra United in the Federation Cup final here in August, the team has produced nothing but disappointment for their fans.

Even a change in the hot seat — Shankar Moitra replacing Mohammed Habeeb as coach before their debut in the country’s premier club tournament — has not made any significant change in their sagging fortune either.

Three matches so far in the NFL and three losses, but ‘PK’ felt there was something to gain from the team’s last show against Mahindra United in Mumbai. “We might have lost the match 3-4, but the team as a whole performed well.

“It was just one of those days when our forwards failed to score at crucial times and we had to fight against the luck factor as well,” the legend told reporters after the team’s workout on Saturday morning.

“We are debutants in the tournament. And our target is simply to survive in the league, not to become champions. I thing we should take the home advantage as far as possible to help achieve the target,” he added.

Moitra also pointed out that attack would be the catchword for his team against Vasco. “We have no other option but to attack. It’s our home match and we should cash in on it,” he maintained.

The black-and-white brigade, consequently, is likely to start in an attacking 3-5-2 formation, with Dipendu Biswas and Chidi Edeh playing upfront. Hussain Mustafi, who was named the new captain in place of Dipendu, Satish Bharti and Madhab Das will man the backline.

The five-man midfield will, then, consist of Amjad Ali Khan, Shahnawaz Iqbal Khan, Khaled Siddiqui, Rahim Nabi and Amandeep Singh. Gumpe Rime is also set replace an out-of-form Bivash Ghosh under the bar.

Vasco coach Derrick Parreira also fears the home advantage of his opponents. “Mohammedan Sporting is a strong side at home. Their speed is also a key factor,” the former Indian defender said.

“But we will play according to our strength. We’ll try slow down the game and depend on counter-attacks,” Parreira pointed out.

Apart from K. Ajayan, who has been resting with a knee injury, incurred during the Afro-Asian Games, the team is in good shape, Parreira said.

The team, which drew with Haywards Sporting Club and East Bengal, and beat Salgaocar in their three ties so far, is looking forward to three foreigners, notably their Nigerian attacker Amaechi Tochukwu, who has contributed to the team’s scoresheet in all these matches.