ASEB players pose after their final workout at SAI New Field in Guwahati on Monday. Picture by S.H. Patgiri

Guwahati, March 3: The rusty but confident Assam State Electricity Board, one of the two teams from Assam to qualify for the Northeast leg of the National “B” Division Football League, are raring to make the next round despite injuries to key players.

ASEB coach Ganesh Rai said here today that he was confident of his side making the second round from the three-team Group A despite lack of practice and injuries to forward Sanjeeva Rongpi, the live wire of the team, along with skipper Utpal Basumatary and defender Sanjoy Brahma. The team will also miss the services of veteran defender Samuel Baglary.

ASEB, one of the most consistent teams in the state and runners-up in the Assam Club championship, will leave for Shillong tomorrow for their opening match against Manipur Police Sports Club on Wednesday. The third team in the group is Lajong SC of Meghalaya.

“It will be tough, but we should qualify. The exposure our boys got last season should stand us in good stead,” Rai said.

Last season, ASEB signed off an eventful national league debut defeating eventual group topper Bengal Mumbai Football Club 2-0. The victory, however, was not enough to take ASEB into the final round to be held in Pondicherry. Indian National Club of Delhi was the second team to qualify from this group.

ASEB have roped in the state’s Santosh Trophy captain and defender Bibeka Borgiary and forward Manoj Boro as cover for Brahma and Rongpi, both struggling with knee problems.