Kochi: Sporting Clube de Goa coach Oscar Bruzon made a promise, on Thursday. If his team wins the Federation Cup, on Saturday, he will congratulate East Bengal for doing them a massive favour in the group stage.

“Had East Bengal not beaten Bengaluru FC in the group stage we would not have been here. If we win against Churchill Brothers I will dedicate this trophy to the East Bengal players,” the Spaniard said after a light workout at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, on Friday evening.

“I am not speaking in jest… Take my word,” he added.

Oscar has done wonders with this club ever since he took over the reins. But he doesn’t want to take any credit for this. “Credit to the boys because it’s them who perform on the field. Not the coach. I can spend hours on the drawing room, but it’s the players who execute it on the field,” he said.

Oscar’s mainstay Ogba Kalu said he would go all out on Saturday. “I never won the Federation Cup. Even during my Churchill days it was a case of so near yet so far. This time I do not want to miss out on this,” Kalu said.

Kalu’s battle will be with Abelhamid Shabana and the Churchill medio is ready for it. “I am waiting for the kick-off. I cannot wait for the match to start.”

Shabana, who was a basketball player till his teenage days, said he is taking confidence from his performance against Mohun Bagan. “I played well. Gave me immense satisfaction. And your (Okolie) Odafe… He is all noise and no substance. We showed him and the rest what we can do,” he said.

Shabana heaped praise on Balwant Singh, the man who had a rollicking time against Bagan. “He is outstanding. Indian football has so much talent. Balwant, Lennny (Rodrigues)… I find it very weird that India football is lagging behind,” he said.