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Pune FC hope to continue winning ways
Fresh from their first home win last week, Pune FC would like to continue their winning ways when they take on Indian Arrows in a 13th round I-League match at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi on Saturday.
Pune: Fresh from their first home win last
week, Pune FC would like to continue their winning ways when
they take on Indian Arrows in a 13th round I-League match at
the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi on Saturday.
The home side, however, is cautious as the AIFF outfit,
too, is high on confidence after recording their first away
win, against Viva Kerala in Kannur.
Desmond Bulpin`s squad comprises of players who are part
of India`s under-23 Olympic team and are in the final stages
of preparations ahead of their pre-Olympic qualifier to be
held later this month.
Local coach Derrick Pereira said, "They (Indian Arrows)
are a young team, very energetic and fitter than other teams.
The team is more or less modelled around the senior India side
so that`s the only idea we have about the team."
The home side currently occupies the tenth position with
11 points, while Indian Arrows are two rungs higher in eighth
place with 13 points. A win for either will mean moving into
the top-half of the league standings, but for that, Pune FC
will need to put all their experience to good effect.
With both teams achieving victories in their previous
games, both will also be hoping to extend their respective
runs. For Pune FC, the 4-0 win over JCT in the previous round
ended a six-match winless run. On the other hand, Indian
Arrows ended a five-match losing run in away games.
"The win (against JCT) was needed to boost the team, but
we need to work harder than before, stay focused if we are to
make the best out of the result we had in the previous match,"
Pereira said.
For Pune FC, defender Selwyn Fernandes returns to the
side after serving a one-match suspension, while the midfield
gets back K Ajayan, who missed the last match due to personal
reasons.
"I don`t like to disturb winning combinations and will
stick to the same combinations that played before. The good
thing is that all are fit, and options are aplenty," added
Pereira.
PTI
PTI