AIFF Media Team

KOLKATA: East Bengal take on Pune FC in a round 25 encounter of the Airtel I-League at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday (April 11, 2014).

The red-and-gold brigade are very much in the title race as they trail leaders Bengaluru FC by seven points but have two games in hand. The 3-1 win over Mohammedan Sporting last week saw them record back-to-back victories for the first time in this season’s Airtel I-League.

East Bengal would now be looking to register a hattrick of Airtel I-League wins for the first time since November 2012 and they have been in good form since March being unbeaten in seven fixtures.

This is the first of three games in seven days for East Bengal and they could actually go top if they win each of the matches as Bengaluru don’t play again until April 21.

Armando Colaco’s side though will be without former Pune FC striker James Moga due to injury while club captain Mehtab Hossain is not completely match fit.

“We just want to keep winning and see where it takes us in the table. We have had good performances in the last two games but must be at our best once again,” Colaco was quoted saying.

Pune had been in the top three for the majority of the season but they have dropped to sixth after being winless in the last five games and their title challenge is officially over. 

The Red Lizards have struggled in 2014 with just one win in 16 matches in all competitions. Mike Snoei’s side also had an away AFC Cup fixture in midweek and thus have had to endure a lot of travelling. 

They have been eliminated from the AFC Cup group stage with no wins in their five games and that will further hurt the morale of their young squad.

But Pune, who have never finished outside the top five in their first four I-League campaigns, could still finish as high as second if they win their remaining three fixtures. 

Two of those are against East Bengal and the Kolkata club lead the I-League head-to-head record with four wins, two draws and two defeats.

Pune though will take heart from the fact that they have won two of their three away games against Kolkata opposition this season and all the pressure will be on title-chasing East Bengal.