132nd Durand Cup: Mumbai City look to top group, Bodoland to sign off with win

Kokrajhar/Kolkata, Aug 18 (IANS) Indian Super League (ISL) Shield winner Mumbai City FC (MCFC) will take on the Indian Navy Football Team (INFT) in their final Group B fixtures in the 132nd Durand Cup on Saturday.

That key clash at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in Kolkata will be followed by a Group F game in Kokrajhar’s SAI stadium where Odisha FC will take on local side Bodoland FC in what will also be their respective final group games.

Islanders will look to top group

If evidence from their first two games is anything to go by, Des Buckingham’s Mumbai City will look at nothing less than a win against the Indian Navy team, to confirm the top spot in Group B.

Mohammedan Sporting and Jamshedpur play next in the group and both can reach six points, the same as the Islanders have at the moment. Even though they have a healthy positive goal difference, Des Buckingham would not like to take any chances.

The Islanders' manager had said ahead of the game, “Tomorrow will be a continuation of what we’ve done in the two games before this and of course, building on the pre-season friendly game we played in Thailand. For us, it’s about trying to get fitter, sharper and continue to evolve.

"Firstly, our target is to go as far as we can in this tournament and secondly, to make sure we’re as good and as sharp as we need to be for the first game in the AFC Champions League in September,” Des Buckingham said.

What will make matters easier for him will be the fact that the Navy team has so far posed no threat to their opponents and are already out of contention having lost both their opening games.

Given the context, Saturday might just see the first team in the tournament to log three wins out of three.

Desperate for a win

The evening game in Kokrajhar promises to be more competitive and exciting given both sides are sure to go all out for a win and are a little more evenly matched than the Mumbai-Navy game.

Odisha coach Amit Rana seemed to be sounding the war bugle when he said a day before the game, “We're prepared for tomorrow and our goal is clear. Our journey continues, and we're ready to make every moment count.”

The Bodoland FC players will also be looking to make every moment count in what has been a historic first-ever holding of such a prestigious national tournament in their home. They have looked sharp in both their games and have played direct and one-touch football.

They will definitely want to sign off with a win for their fans, who have been braving inclement weather at times to pack the stands in every game. It is sure to be a treat for the neutrals.

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