I-LEAGUE Media Team

Pune: With just one win so far from six games, Bharat FC now face winless Sporting Clube de Goa in the Round 9 match of the Hero I-League at the Balewadi Sports Complex here on Wednesday.

Both the teams have had an unimpressive run in the I-League so far with Bharat FC having won just one game against Salgaocar FC and are sitting on No 10 position, while on the other hand Sporting are still looking to open their winning account as they sit at the rock bottom of the points table.

The midweek game will be a crucial for both the outfits as they will try their best to extract the all important three points.

Bharat FC gaffer Stuart Watkiss was looking forward to the game after getting a plastering against Mumbai FC last week at home.

“We need to improve drastically on the last game we played when we got beaten by Mumbai. We need to see a big improvement. I saw Sporting play here two weeks ago here against Pune FC. Sporting should have had won the game by 5-1 as they played much better than Pune FC. They created a lot of chances, which they didn’t take which I believe has been their problem this season,”said Watkiss.

“The game is going to be a challenge and we need to win it certainly. We did not perform during our last game. It is a big game for us. It will be a big 90 minutes for us,” he added

Commenting on Sporting Clube, Watkiss said: “I saw them play against Bengaluru, where they did not play as well as they played against Pune. They have good defenders. Their Trinidad player, Anthony Wolfe also looks good. If we play with our full capabilities we will get a good result. Sporting is not a club where we can give just 80-85 percent. They are good enough to beat us. We definitely have to give our hundred percent.”

Watkiss is hopeful that Bobby Hassell will be back. Ravanan obviously will return as he was suspended during the last game.

Sporting coach Mateus Costa said, “We have our focus on the match, it is all about that one victory which can give us a push. The boys are trying their level best and hopefully we get a win. We have been doing good so far but we are not getting the desired results.

“Every match we played the boys gave their best. We have had many chances but we haven’t scored the goals. Bharat FC is a fantastic team. We respect them. Let’s see what happens on Wednesday.”

Match KO: Feb 4 @ 7 PM IST
 

Hashtag: #KBFCvSCG