I-LEAGUE Media Team

BANGALORE: Bengaluru FC take on Pune FC in a Round 2 encounter of the Hero I-League on Saturday 3, Jan 24, at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore.

Though both teams have failed to register a win in their respective games in round 1, they will be looking to win this game.

Needless to say both teams are well prepared in this season, they played against each other few weeks ago during the Hero Federation Cup group stages, where Bengaluru got the better of Pune in a hard fought battle. The former went on winning the cup.

PFC have always been a tough opposition for BFC, as they could not get past PFC in the last edition of I-League. Though BFC coach Ashley Westwood looked quite content with a draw against Dempo last week, he too is looking for a win.

Westwood said, “We play every game to win, obviously PFC is a strong team, even they too play to win. Finally it would all come to who got the best formation and tactic in the day”.

Pune are missing 3 players from their first squad, skipper Anas Edathodika, Prakash Thorat and Fanai Lalrempuia who were in excellent touch from the beginning of the season are out injured.

PFC’s Moroccan coach Karim Bencherifa assures, “We have 19 players in the squad, everyone is fit and are in good form.”

PFC are bolstered by two new foreign signings – striker Darko Nika?, Montenegrin International as a marquee player and Portuguese midfielder Edgar Marcelino who had plied his trade for FC Goa in the recently concluded ISL.

However, Edgar seems to be a doubtful starter on Saturday delay to clearance formalities.

Karim trusts in the professionalism displayed by both clubs, “PFC and BFC are the examples to follow in India Football.”

Picture courtesy: Bengaluru FC Media