AIFF XI, Air India look for maiden win in I-League

AIFF XI will miss captain Raju Gaikwad`s services at the backline while Uttam Singh will also not figure in Air India side when the two teams face each other in a fifth round I-League match at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium on Wednesday

Gurgaon: AIFF XI will miss captain Raju Gaikwad`s services at the backline while Uttam Singh will also not figure in Air India side when the two teams face each other in a fifth round I-League encounter at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium here on Wednesday.

Both players will sit out of the crucial match as they are serving one-match suspensions due to double bookings. Yet to taste victory in this edition of the I-League, AIFF XI and Air India would, however, look for full points by registering their first win. Coached by former manager of English Championship side Queens Park Rangers, Desmond Bulpin, debutants AIFF XI were thrashed 0-5 by table toppers Salgaocar in their last match at Margao while Air India salvaged a 1-1 draw against ONGC. The humiliating defeat at the hands of Salgaocar and the 0-4 drubbing to East Bengal prior to that completely exposed the Delhi-based outfit`s defensive frailties. There are problems gallore in the team`s defence with the likes of Gaikwad, Inder Preet Singh, Abhishek Das and Lal Rozama failing to patrol the back line.Yusuf Ansari`s Air India, on the other hand, played a much better game against ONGC in their last game and deserved to share points. They also managed to hold Chirag United and Viva Kerala. The Airmen, however, had been left to rue the missed chances in their match against Mumbai FC against whom they dominated after taking the lead. AIFF XI have one point from four matches while Air India have so far tallied three points from same number of matches. PTI