I-LEAGUE Media Team

SHILLONG: After a three-week break, Royal Wahingdoh FC will be eager to get going once again in the Hero I-League when they face Bharat FC at the JN Stadium here on Saturday.

The home team have had a dream start to their maiden I-League season, but their more recent form has been a little uneven. The Royals have been victorious in just one of their last five matches, having lost three.

Still, they could return to the top of the standings if they beat Bharat FC, but their Pune-based opponents will not make it easy for them.

It hasn’t been an easy induction into the Hero I-League for Bharat FC, who were given a direct entry into the prestigious tournament. Cruising around the bottom of the table, they have managed to lift themselves up onto the eighth place with eight points. Their only two wins of the season have come in their last three matches – 2-0 over Salgaocar and 1-0 against Sporting Clube de Goa.

Both of those triumphs have been at home and coming to Shillong will pose a whole new set of challenges. The new team, however, have a wealth of experience in their ranks, including Tomba Singh and Gouramangi Singh, both of whom played a part of last season for Shillong club Rangdajied United FC. Bharat FC have also signed Palestinian international Omar Jarun in order to bolster the defensive line.

Meanwhile, Wahingdoh have to bounce back from two defeats on the road. They first lost 2-1 to Mumbai FC before going down by a solitary goal to Pune FC last month. They were dominating proceedings against the Red Lizards and RWFC coach Santosh Kashyap said that his team need to work on execution.

“I am confident that as we are in the learning stage and with every match we will get better. I am satisfied with the way we played. We need to work on our finishing and I am confident we will do it,” Kashyap said after the match.

Although most of his team had a good chance to rest over the last few weeks, one player who did not was Jackichand Singh, who featured in both of India’s World Cup qualifying matches against Nepal recently. Having made his debut for the national team should provide him with a shot full of confidence when he retakes the field in his club colours.

Match KO: March 21 @ 4:30 PM IST
 

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