I-LEAGUE Media Team

GOA: Mauricio Afonso has a fight on his hands as he prepares his troops for the battle against McDowell Mohun Bagan at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Wednesday.

Appointed interim head coach of Dempo Sports Club after the resignation of Australian coach Arthur Papas, Mauricio must now quickly prepare his team for a difficult battle against Mohun Bagan, a team that is now at an all-time high in the competition and looking for another scalp.

“We want to forget the past. The defeats at the hands of Shillong Lajong and East Bengal should not be an excuse for not playing well tomorrow. The boys are in good spirits and are ready for the challenge,” Mauricio said at the pre-match media briefing.

Mauricio is no stranger to answering the call of duty whenever the chief coach has had to take leave. Whenever Armando Colaco had to take a break – due to health reasons – Mauricio was Dempo’s go to man and he normally did a fine job. This time around, though, the battle on his hand will be tougher as Dempo have suffered two consecutive defeats at home, including a 1-5 thrashing at the hands of East Bengal in the previous game.

“It happens sometimes for all the teams as it has happened with us. I told my boys to forget about the past and concentrate on tomorrow’s game. I know the morale of the opposition is high after two successive wins but we have to remain positive,” said the Dempo coach.

Mohun Bagan, like Mauricio pointed out, are bristling with confidence. Their last two matches – both victories – have been convincing against strong teams like Bengaluru FC (4-1) and Shillong Lajong (4-3). They are now second on the table with 14 points from six matches, one point below leaders Pune FC, and will be keen to finish the first leg engagements on a high as the league takes a fortnight long break due to international commitments.

“Dempo are a very good side and have always played well against us. We have to be on guard and not take things easy after their two bad results as they will come hard at us like a wounded tiger,” said Mohun Bagan coach Sanjoy Sen.

“We have to be on guard and should not be complacent. It is going to be a close contest and whoever utilizes the chances that come their way will emerge winners,” said the Bagan coach who confirmed he will field the same team that won him two points against Shillong Lajong in the previous game.

Match KO: Feb 4 @ 7 PM IST (Ten Action)
 

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