Testing time for Mohun Bagan

Kolkata: Struggling to come to terms despite rolling out a high-profile roster in the season, Mohun Bagan will be up against city rivals United SC in a round two I-League clash here on Friday. A weak defence has been the persisting problem for Mohun Bagan for two seasons and this time too the think-tank, it seems, have forgotten to plug the loopholes.

They boast of a lethal attack in Odafa Okolie and Tolgey Ozbey who joined from East Bengal this season in a much-talked about transfer, but with a weak backline they would be up against an opposition who have begun their campaign on a high. Unlike Mohun Bagan, United SC seemed to have struck the right chords after the recently-concluded Federation Cup where both the teams were eliminated in the group stage.

United began their I-League campaign with a bang with their star acquisition Ranty Martins firing a hat-tirck to inspire a 10-man side to a 5-1 victory over Durand Cup champions Air India. The purple brigade's marauding form will surely give Mohun Bagan defence some jitters as they would hope for Syed Rahim Nabi to start in the defence but it remains to be seen how much resistance they muster against a potent United attack led by Martins.

In Martins and Costa Rican World Cupper Carlos Hernandez, United SC showed what they were capable of against Air India and they would like to carry on from where they left in the previous match, even without Bello Rasaq who was red-carded. Also, it would be a testing time for Mohun Bagan's beleaguered coach Santosh Kashyap who faced severe criticism following their disastrous Federation Cup campaign.

Mohun Bagan's I-League campaign began on a disappointing note as they lost to Lajong FC in their opening match. Kashyap's decision to change tactics to play a previously unused 4-3-2-1 formation and his defensive-oriented approach in the midfield was criticised and the coach's every move would be under scrutiny against United SC.

"I don't feel any pressure, as I'm putting in effort from my side. But I have to accept reality. If I don't perform to the level expected of me, then I'm answerable to the management and the club," Kashyap said. The coach further said that there was no more fitness issues in the team as everybody was fit and raring to go.