KOLKATA: Starting their
I-League
campaign with the Imphal derby, where they shared honours with
TRAU FC
,
NEROCA FC
were at their attacking best scoring four past
All India Football Federation
’s developmental side Indian Arrows in their second outing last Wednesday.
With Trinidad and Tobago striker Judah Garcia scoring a brace in his first match for the Orange brigade, NEROCA coach Gift Raikhan must be content with his strategy going into the match against Gokulam Kerala at Kalyani Municipal Stadium near Kolkata on Monday.
Sitting on the fifth spot of the I-League table, Raikhan’s boys would look for nothing less than three points to propel themselves upward. “We have to give our 100% on the field. I cannot predict the result but I can assure you that we will work extra hard to get a win against Gokulam,” Raikhan said at the virtual pre-match press conference on Sunday.
“They (Gokulam Kerala FC) are a very strong side with good attacking play and have a lot of quality in the team as well. I believe that we would have to be stronger than them and play with confidence to come out the winner tomorrow (Monday),” Raikhan, who was at the helm at Gokulam in 2019, added.
Gokulam, on the other hand, are just a rung above wooden spooners Arrows after losing two of their first three matches and would hope to turn things around to rise on the table.
“We are a bit nervous defensively in the opening minutes of the match. Against Chennai and then against Aizawl, we were not at our best defensively. We need to play with more confidence at the back and keep our composure while defending counter-attacks,” Gokulam coach
Vincenzo Annese
said. “Even when attacking we need to be more attentive and take our chances. We cannot get complacent in front of the goal.”
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