Thaindian News

Margao, May 21 (IANS) East Bengal will be in a must-win situation when they face second-placed Churchill Brothers in I-League football match at the Nehru Stadium in Fatorda here Sunday.

Till the last match, East Bengal were in the title contention but their hopes suffered a serious set-back after a 2-3 defeat against firm-favourites and leaders Salgaocar.

East Bengal are on 47 points from 23 matches. Churchill Brothers also have same points, but have played a match extra, which may have just ruled them out of the top spot. But Churchill are in reckoning to finish third or maybe even at the second spot. A win they know, will push East Bengal out of the reckoning. Salgaocar have 53 points and have just one match in hand.

East Bengal coach Trevor James Morgan knows that it is a do-or-die situation for the Kolkata team. Wins in their remaining three matches doesn’t guarantee them the title, but mathematically they are still in the race.

“It’s do or die for us. We cannot afford to lose anymore. If we lose, the hard work that we have put in over the last ten months will just go waste. The players don’t want that to happen,” the Englishman said.

Morgan wants his boys to give their best and not to think too much about the result.

“At the present, Salgaocar does enjoy the advantage. But we just can’t sit back and relax. We ought to win and we will go all out. The rest is not in our hands,” he said.

East Bengal’s trio of N.D. Opara, Gurwinder Singh, Nirmal Chettri are available for this match after sitting out the tie against Salgaocar due to suspension.

Churchill will be pinning hopes on their striker Odafa Okolie. The last time the two teams met, the match ended 2-2, but this time it is highly unlikely a draw would occur.