Last year’s runners-up Mohun Bagan Super Giant might have appeared rusty in last Saturday’s CFL Premier Division derby, but would like to put up an improved show when they take on city rivals Mohammedan Sporting in a Group B clash of the Durand Cup at the Salt Lake Stadium on Thursday.
Bagan lost the season’s first Calcutta Derby to East Bengal 2-3. That match featured a mixed squad and was not part of their main pre-season plan.
So, this will be Bagan’s first major competitive outing of the season, with the prestigious tournament serving as a crucial build-up to their AFC Champions League 2 campaign, scheduled for less than two months’ from now.
Mohun Bagan are taking this edition seriously despite being without their foreign recruits and head coach Jose Molina.
In the meantime, assistant coach Bastab Roy is leading the preparations with a full-strength Indian squad, combining core ISL players and developmental talent.
Among those are Ashis Rai, Manvir Singh, Liston Colaco, Deepak Tangri, Apuia, Abhishek Suryavanshi, Anirudh Thapa, Glan Martins and goalkeeper Vishal Kaith, who will wear the captain’s armband on Thursday.
All eyes will be on new signing T Abhishek Singh, a defender, who joined from Punjab FC.
“This is out first match. We will try to win,” Kaith said at the pre-match news conference at the AIFF National Centre of Excellence in Rajarhat on Wednesday.
Youngsters Suhail Bhat and Kiyan Nassiri are likely to lead the frontline in the absence of foreign strikers.
Mohammedan Sporting, who have not tasted victory in all competitions since January 11, will be under pressure.