AI to meet Sporting in battle of bottom-huggers

Mumbai: Local side Air India is to meet cellar outfit Sporting Clube de Goa in a battle of

bottom-huggers in the 14th round of the I-League at the Cooperage football ground here tomorrow. As I-League action returns to Mumbai after a big break, AI would be eager to force a win and improve their points position from the present 12. AI also go into the tie with the added boost of having clinched their away tie against their relegation-threatened Goan opponents just before the break. The hosts have won only one match at their home ground and would be eager to break the Cooperage jinx. The airmen had started with four points from their first two matches before slipping into an eight-game winless streak that included five losses on the trot to lose steam. The fag end of the first leg saw a dramatic improvement in the Mumbai team`s fortunes after they recorded three victories in their last four matches and AI are presently lying 12th in the table. Sporting have very little to play for except pride as they are virtually certain of being shunted down to the first division after logging a miserly five points in the first leg. Bureau Report