A one-goal deficit is what Mohun Bagan will have to overturn against Odisha FC to continue their dream of becoming the first team to win both the League Winners Shield and the ISL title in their return leg semifinal in Kolkata on April 27, Sunday. (More Football News)
They will be backed by a crowd of 60,000-plus at the Salt Lake Stadium as the Antonio Lopez Habas-coached side will make a return to the same venue two weeks after they defeated Mumbai City FC in the ISL final round to win their maiden🧔 Shield.
It was Mohun Bagan's second triumph this season that began with victory in the Durand Cup and was followed by East Bengal's Super Cup and Mohammedan Sporting's I-League triumph, making it four𓆏 titles by the city's Big Three this season.
That the ISL 𒀰summit clash on May 4 will be at the Salt Lake Stadium, if Mohun Bagan make the final, will be an add♚ed incentive for the Mariners.
The home side would be desperate to overcome the first hurdle. The match will go to ꧒extra time if Mohun Bagan get a one-goal ad🐠vantage in regulation time.
The Subhasish Bose-led side, who will miss key marksman Armando Sadiku up-front because of a suspension,🍸 will have to bring out their A-game into play.
"This will be like a final for us, and we will play like champions," Manv🎃ir Singh, who scored the solitary goal against Odisha in the first leg semis, said in the pre-match interaction here.
"We are just confident. I believe in myself and in my team and will do whatever coach says. We are champions and that's our motivation. We have an opportunity to win our third tro🐈phy this season, and we won't let go this opportunity go 💛to waste."
In the opposition ranks will be Bagan's former star player Roy Krishna, the 36-year-old Fijian forward who knows the conditionsཧ here, having spಌent three seasons.
With 13 goals to his name, Roy Krishna has been Odis♏ha's leading striker this season. The veteran was all over the pitch, controlling the game against Mohun Bagan in the first leg semi-finals.
It remains to beಌ seen how Habas counter♛s Roy Krishna.
"Roy is massive for Odisha. Two accidental moves and we𒈔 lost the match. This is football.
"I don't have anytiꦗme for changing the formation in 2-3 days. But we have this option of changing the formation during the match," said the tactician from Spain.
He said the loss was an aberration ♛for the Mariners who may have been complacent after winn﷽ing the coveted Shield.
"When you lose one match, you have to analyse the match and🎐 rectify. Iꩵ feel that may be the team did not give their 100 per cent.
"For me the first priority was to win the League Shield and once we did that it's normal to feel relaxed. But it's now or never🔯 and we have to go out there and compete 100 per cent tomorrow," he said.
Having secured a narrow 2-1 lead in the first leജg at their fortress, the Kalinga Warriors will be without their k🌠ey defender Carlos Delgado, red-carded in the previous game.
His absence will provide Mohun Ba๊gan a perfect opportunity.
Their win against the Mariners in the first leg semifinal was their first in the ISL and second overall, having beat♋en them 5-2 in the AFC Cup earlier this season.
Odisha FC head coach Sergio🎃 Lobera exuded confidence and highlighted their impressive unbeaten home run.
"I think🔜 to be unbeaten all of the season in the stadium is amazing. I think the players did an amazing job," Lobera said.
W𝓀hile acknowledging the upcoming challenge, the coach remained focused on re🤡aching the final.
"Big game against a big team, in a ver꧅y good stadium, a diffic💦ult place to play but we did it in AFC Cup also," he said.
"The t🍨eam shows the character we need to show for the big games and I am excited about this g🧜ame. I am confident because my players always have shown everyone they are ready for a big game.
"I am in a positive mentality and I think we can get a very good result 💎and reach the final."
Lobera further said the pressure would be on M🌄ohun Bagan toꦗ win the trophy at home.
"When you are playing in front of a lot of people with a stadium like this full, it means you are playing for something imp📖ortant," he said.
ಞ"They are feeling more pressure than us because it's compulsory for some teams to win a trophy," he said.
"But we are in a very good position, a long way to arrive here in this position. We need to enjoy the moment and we need to try to make our people happy becaus✅e they deserve this."
