Kolkata, Sept 27: The Brazil connection or the lack of it might prove crucial for deciding the winners as arch rivals Mohun Bagan and East Bengal lock horns in the final of the 109th IFA shield here tomorrow. Jose Barreto's magic performance holds the key for Bagan, who looked desperate to clinch the title after a drought of three years since 1999, while absence of Douglas da Silva in the middle might reduce the chances of East Bengal in the Derby clash at the Salt Lake Stadium. Barreto, who designed a 4-1 win against Tollygunge in the semifinal, was looking for a "repeat performance" against East Bengal to bring home the first trophy of the season. Douglas, on the other hand, was "repenting" for picking up his second yellow against ever ready in the last four stage match yesterday. East Bengal had definite edge over their rivals due to better fitness and combination play, even though missing out on the services of about six regulars due to injury blues and other reasons.
Coach Subhas Bhowmick also exuded confidence of making it to the top with "whoever is available" while for his counterpart Alok Mukherjee, "it is matter of prestige and emotion to the core of my heart".
Besides the current form of players, the red and gold brigade could also take heart from their traditional good show in the tournament, which they won a record 27 times as compared to Bagan's 19 successes.
Bureau report