—
Round-15 Prediction Statistics:
Correct Predictions : 0/5
Exact Score-line : 0/5
Season’s Prediction Statistics:
Correct Predictions : 55/103
Exact Score-line : 24/103
—
JCT FC
v
DEMPO SC
Guru Nanak Stadium, Ludhiana
25th Feb, 2011 – 2:30 PM IST
The round 16 of I-league commences at the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana in a few hours as The Millmen welcome the holders Dempo. Sukhi’s men suffered their seventh loss of the season to Churchill Brothers at Margaon in the last round. Omoloza Karim gave the Phagwara side the lead, only to see JCT’s defense leak in three goals. JCT is presently eleventh in the table, flickering just over the drop zone. It is another big match for the Millmen, and earning any points against the champions would be extremely tough, as Armando Colaco’s lads have been in cracking form since their back to back loss in Round 10 and 11, winning their last three games.
Dempo didn’t play any match in the round 15 as they had a match against Qatar’s Al-Sadd Club on 19th February, as a part of the AFC Champions League Qualifying, which the Goan side lost by a margin of two goals and failed to score in Qatar. Dempo now find themselves 9 points off the leaders, and would be eager to return to I-league action with a win over struggling JCT side.
TheHardTackle’s Players To Watch Out For:
Omoloja Kareem (JCT FC), Joachim (Dempo SC)
TheHardTackle’s Prediction:
JCT FC 1 – 2 Dempo SC
–
v
CHURCHILL BROTHERS
Yuvabharati Krirangan, Kolkata
26th Feb, 2011 – 1:45 PM IST
Undoubtedly the biggest match of the round between two heavyweights; Churchill is currently placed at the 3rd spot and Bagan a further 3 positions behind them. Both the teams have been largely inconsistent in their campaign this season, blowing hot and cold at an alarming frequency. The Mariners seem to have forgotten to win, having drawn their previous 4 games. Churchill has not been great either – winning 2, drawing 1 and losing the other match in recent past. Consistency is the need of the hour for both the teams and the respective coaches would try their best to clinch all three points from this tie and bring their derailed campaign back on track.
Bagan will be missing the services of their star striker Jose Barreto due to injury, although Chidi and Muritala duo are capable of covering up for the Brazilian. Subhash Bhowmick’s would be more worried about his defense. With Deepak Mondal back in the side, Bagan defense looks solid, but his central defensive partner Anwar Ali is nursing an injury, which means one among Sagaram Mandi or Rakesh Masih would have to play as one of the stoppers.
Churchill Brother’s hitman Odafa Okolie has already missed seven successive matches due to an ankle injury and although he has recovered well, the chances are very slim that he would be drafted in to the starting line-up in this match. We might see him playing as a second half substitute. Kayne Vincent and Boima Karpeh are expected to shoulder the Goan giants attack. Steven Dias has been in fantastic touch since making his comeback from the national camp and has contributed significantly to most of the goals for his side. Bagan left back Dhanarajan will be aware of the possible threat from Churchill’s right wing.
TheHardTackle’s Players To Watch Out For:
Edeh Chidi (Mohun Bagan), Steven Dias (Churchill Brothers)
TheHardTackle’s Prediction:
Mohun Bagan 1-1 Churchill Brothers
–
Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex, Gurgaon
26th Feb, 2011 – 3:45 PM IST
East Bengal will start afresh as they had their last round match postponed due to their opponent, Dempo’s AFC CL commitments. After leading the standings for 13 weens in a row, Trevor James Morgan’s Red-&-Gold brigade tasted their first defeat against the minnows ONGC FC in round 14. The breather will certainly help East Bengal to re-group and reset their focus. They are trailing the table topper Salgaocar by 3 points with a game in hand and they would be keen to get full three points against Indian Arrows and reclaim their top of the table position back from Karim’s team, in-case ONGC FC manages to pull off another upset in their match against Salgaocar scheduled for Sunday.
Reliable stopper Uga Okpara’s absence due to suspension may serve as a huge blow for East Bengal as they will be without Naoba Singh in this match because of successive bookings in previous two matches. Which means it will be a all new defensive combination for the Red-&-Golds with Gurwinder expected to partner Sunil Kumar in the central defense. Nirmal Chhetri may get to start as the right back, while Rahim Nabi would be thrusted with the responsibility to cover up as the left back in absence of skipper Soumik Dey.
Both Sushanth Mathew and Harmonjot Khabra has been ruled out of this tie and hence Morgan has to take the risk of playing a half-fit Vasum on the left flank, partnering Sanju Pradhan on the right. Mehtab Hussain, arguable the best player of the season so far, would once again shoulder the responsibility to provide the creative spark in East Bengal midfield. Penn Orji will support Mehtab in the midfield playing the roaming role. Tolgay Ozbey is a certainty in the starting line-up with either Alexander da Silva or Robin Singh partnering him upfront. The ever reliable Sandip Nandy will guard the Red-&-Gold goal-mouth.
Indian Arrows would be high on confidence after their fabulous win against Myanmar in pre-Olympic qualifier. They are currently placed at the 10th spot and a win here might propel them to the top half of the table. They have earned a point each from their last two league matches against Chirag United and ONGC FC. Strike partnership of Jeje Lalpekhlua and Malswamfela is blossoming with every passing game and Desmond Bulpin would hope for a repeat of their brilliant performance against Myanmar in this match too. Jewel Raja and Jibon Singh will be playing at the heart of the Arrows midfield, with Ralte and Shilton D’Silva expected to get the nod to start on the wings. Their defense comprising of talented Raju Gaekwad and Deepak Devrani would have to remain on their toes for the entire 90 minutes as a slight slip-up from them could prove to be suicidal against the likes of Tolgay and Robin.
East Bengal had notched up a comfortable 4-0 win in the first leg of this corresponding fixture at Kolkata and in all possibility it would be a similar story at Gurgaon as well. Expect the young Arrows to pose a stiff challenge for Morgan’s men, but East Bengal has enough fire-power to come out with all three points from this encounter.
TheHardTackle’s Players To Watch Out For:
Mehtab Hussain (East Bengal), Malswamfela (Indian Arrows)
East Bengal 2-0 Indian Arrows
–
v
VIVA KERALA
Balewadi Sports Complex, Pune
26th Feb, 2011 – 7:00 PM IST
Pune FC got a week off because of the pre-Olympic qualifier which was played at their home ground in Balewadi and this break did help Derrick Pereira’s boys to a great extent as a few key players, like Keita and Ajayan, got just enough time to recover from injury problems which had kept them out of action in last couple of rounds. Pune FC is currently in ninth position and playing a game less than Viva Kerala who is seated at 12th with 11 points to their credit.
Pune FC notched up a 3-0 win against Indian Arrows in round-13 before playing out a goalless draw against Mohun Bagan in their last match. Derrick Pereira would like to continue the revival battle which saw them climbing up a couple of places in the second half of the season. Pune’s struggle in the first leg of the tie at Kannur, where they failed to break the stubborn Viva defense only to be rescued by a late Sunil Kumar equalizer in the dying seconds of the match will be fresh in their minds. In-form striker Mondjou Keita would have to play a vital role for his side if they are to come up with all three points here. Japanese midfielder Arata Izumi has developed very good understanding with Keita and their partnership may prove to be X-factor for Pune FC. India number1 Subrata Pal’s return from national duty has given Pune FC’s defense much needed assurance which they were lacking in the initial part of their campaign.
However it will an easy outing for the Pune side as they will be up against a red hot Viva Kerala outfit who have just registered a thumping 7-1 win against Air India in last round, which is incidentally the biggest win of the season so far. However for Kunhikrishnan’s men, the away record has been miserly so far failing to win even a single game out of the six away games played in this season. Four matches have been losses for the Kerala side while two ended in draws.
Striker Anil Kumar scored a sensational hat-trick in last match and he will be hoping to continue in similar fashion in this match also. Felix will partner him upfront in the attacking third. The Neelapada midfield comprising of NP Pradeep, CS Sabeeth and T Karma will be responsible for keeping the supply line intact for their strikers.
TheHardTackle’s Players To Watch Out For:
Mondjou Keita (Pune FC), Karma T (Viva Kerala)
TheHardTackle’s Prediction:
Pune FC 1-1 Viva Kerala
–
v
CHIRAG UNITED
27th Feb, 2011 – 3:30 PM IST
Yusuf Ansari’s side find themselves slotted at the rock bottom of the table with just 10 points out of the possible 45. The Airmen went down to struggling Viva Kerala side in the last round, where the Kerala boys netted the ball seven times past Debnath. Okorogore Praise scored the consolation goal for the Maharashtra side, taking his tally to three for the season. As the relegation battle heats up, with four points separating the bottom four sides, a draw or a win would be welcomed by Yusuf Ansari as they welcome Chirag United. Air India will be looking forward to this tie to compensate the humiliating defeat the side suffered last time around. The defenders need to get their act together against Chettri-Josimar-Elijah led Chirag attack.
The Durand Cup champions were defeated too in their Round 15 match against the table toppers Salgaocar, after taking an early lead at YBK. The Kolkata side have not been able to hit the back of the net away from home, as they have scored only once in their last two travelling games, against struggling Viva Kerala and Indian Arrows. Subrata would be ruing dropping these points as the title challenge seems to disappear. The big signings in the winter will surely add to the thrust, as the team looks forward to add some points to their kitty. Chettri would be raring to go and he will be looking to score his first goal of this season in this tie at Kolhapur.
TheHardTackle’s players to watch out for
O.Praise (Air India), Sunil Chettri (Chirag United)
TheHardTackle’s Prediction:
Air India 1-3 Chirag United
–
v
MUMBAI FC
Sree Kantheerva Stadium, Bangalore
27th Feb, 2011 – 3:30 PM IST
The Bangalore side would be looking for revenge after they were defeated by a solitary Ebi Sukore strike in the reverse leg of the tie at Kolhapur. The Mumbai side makes a short trip to Sree Kantheerva Stadium, Bangalore, to play their round 16 match. This would be HAL’s fifth home game on the trot. Murali’s side has made most of this home advantage, crawling out of the drop zone and joining the mid table jostle. The Bangalore greens welcome Mumbai FC side after they hoarded an impressive point against desperate to perform Mohun Bagan side in the last round. HAL would be looking to showcase and echo same mettle on their home turf and move further up the table.
Mumbai FC is presently positioned at an impressive fifth in the table. Khalid Jamil’s side has certainly raised many eyebrows after his team devoid of any established stars has managed to stay in the top half of the season so far. The Mumbai side won their round-14 encounter against Air India where the Ghanaian defender Evans Quao scored in the early minutes to secure all three points. The Mumbai lads were out of action in the last round as their opponents, Pune FC could not play because team India was hosting Myanmar for Pre-Olympic Qualifier at Pune’s home ground. Khalid Jamil might be hoping that the unplanned rest works for the lads, on the aftermath of the reports suggesting their captain Nishant Mehra being tested positive for the B sample as well. Mumbai Fc will get within one point of the reigning champions Dempo SC if they manage to garner all three points in this tie.
TheHardTackle’s players to watch out for
J. Murali (HAL SC), Ebi Sukore (Mumbai FC)
TheHardTackle’s Prediction:
HAL SC 1-1 Mumbai FC
–
v
ONGC FC
PJN Stadium, Margaon, Goa
27th Feb, 2011 – 3:45 PM IST
Karim Bencharifa’s men are slotted at the summit of the table as they welcome somewhat rejuvenated ONGC FC at the PJN stadium in Fatorda. Salgaocar are on a goal scoring spree in the league, scoring eight times in their last two games, most recently at YBK against the Durand Cup holders Chirag United. Certainly the Goan Greens are in no mood to give away the top spot to East Bengal as the ruthless side would be looking to board no less than all three points from this fixture and hope that the Red & Gold army slip up, which may widen the lead at the top as the league moves into latter part of the season. The deadly partnership of Nigerian Duo Ekenwa and Yakubu is spelling disaster for the defenders, as they both would be looking to continue with their goal scoring form on home soil.
ONGC on the other hand have managed to secure 4 points in their last two outings, courtesy – some gritty and mettlesome performances on the pitch. After stunning East Bengal in Round 14, the institutional side managed to grab a point out of the jaws of another defeat in the last round. Kamal Thapa netted for the Mumbai side just before the final whistle, after they had conceded a goal in the 84th minute against Indian Arrows. Subrata Bhattacharya’s (Jr) side need to put up a brave defensive performance and counter attacking display if they want to trouble the Goan Greens at Margaon. Any points from this fixture will be greeted with cheerby the ONGC fans as it may land the Mumbai side outside of the drop zone for the time being.
TheHardTackle’s players to watch out for
Ikene Ekenwa (Salgaocar SC), ND Opara (ONGC FC)
TheHardTackle’s Prediction:
Salgaocar 2-0 ONGC FC
–