Goa: Following their shameful defeat in the hands of Hyderabad FC, NorthEast United FC is determined to get back on track against table laggers SC East Bengal at PJN Stadium in Fatorda on December, 17 in Indian Super League (ISL) 2021-22.
Though NorthEast United was badly humiliated by Hyderabad FC on the field, Khalid Jamil still remained humble as they will face winless SC East Bengal. With a not-so-great start, NorthEast United missed most of their players in injury. “I am not giving any excuse but I have never got all my six foreigners fit for selection in any game,” said Jamil. While Deshorn Brown is nursing a hamstring, Khassa Camara and Hernan Santana are still doubtful for the game.
The Highlanders have conceded 11goals, the most by any team this season. “I don’t agree that the team’s morale is down. It does not matter if we play good or bad, all that matters is the three points,” Jamil added.
.@NEUtdFC and @sc_eastbengal take on each other with both teams looking for a win to climb the table 📈
Which team can get the crucial win tonight?#NEUSCEB #HeroISL #LetsFootball pic.twitter.com/WmcZOlOh0C
— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) December 17, 2021
Both the teams have injury concerns that aren’t allowing them to play with a starting, fixed XI in the matches. United’s key player VP Suhair has played only 478 minutes scoring one brace and assisting one.
SC East Bengal had a similar start to the last season, failing to make it to the winning side in a single match. With Arindam Bhattacharya, Jackichand Singh, and Darren Sidoel being injured, hasn’t helped the cause, though they look like a disjointed unit of the team, lacking quality in the games as of now.
Jose Manuel Diaz said, “We have come close to winning in a few games but we have failed to take those opportunities. We can’t afford to make mistakes against NorthEast. They were in the semifinals last time, so we can’t take them lightly.”
Key Players to watch out for :
With his ability to deliver long crosses inside the box and play out far wide, forward Suhair VP is believed to play a crucial role in breaking The Red and Gold defense. Along with him, the Highlanders have 31-year old midfielder Hernan Santana whose great ball holding capacity and ability to create goalscoring opportunities from pinpoint crosses. Santana has made 20 tackles, 20 interceptions, eight clearances, and 10 blocks, having a passing accuracy of 80% in four matches.
Tomislav Mrcela is the core of the SC East Bengal defence, making 29 clearances, seven tackles, and four interceptions besides netting a goal from the six games this season. Croatian forward Antonio Perisevic is hungry for goals after having three-goal contributions from six games. The Red and Gold no. 7 has taken 19 shots, the most in the league, and is determined to convert one against NorthEast United FC.
NorthEast United FC and SC East Bengal will face off at 7.30 pm. The match is to be telecasted live on STAR Sports Network, Disney+Hotstar, and JioTV.
