I-LEAGUE > DEMPO SC VS HAL BANGLORE PREVIEW

Written by Vishal Patel in I-LEAGUE

Table toppers Dempo Sports Club will begin the countdown to their unprecedented fifth title as they take on bottom placed HAL in a David v Goliath clash at the Nehru stadium on Saturday. This will be the first I-League game under lights in seven years at the Nehru Stadium. Dempo are six points clear at the top and during the break they annexed the Goa Professional League title and the Goa Super Cup. They will be raring to go against bottom placed HAL who are on the verge of relegation. Dempo beat Pailan Arrows in their last fixture at Kolkata and with Armando Colaco back after an illness the Blues will be raring to go. Dempo have lost only one of the last seven games- against Pune FC at Fatorda. Mauricio Afonso in the absence of Armando Colaco has managed the team brilliantly, securing wins in the Goa League and the Super Cup.

Dempo Probable Starting Lineup: Subhasish, Debabrata, Samir, Creson, Mahesh, Peter, Anthony, Densill, Climax, Ranti, Koko.

Indian winger Clifford Miranda is a doubtful starter for this game after picking up an injury during the India camp forcing him to miss the AFC Challenge Cup. In his absence Armando Colaco may field Peter Carvalho on the left although he may be tempted to play Anthony on the left and young Romeo Fernandes on the right who has been brilliant for them in the Goa League. The defense will remain unchanged with Samir, Debabrata, Mahesh and Cresson making the flat back four. Climax and Densill will start in the middle of the park while Koko and Ranti will play upfront with Japanese Yusuke Kato- who scored a brace in his first start in the Goa League coming in on as a substitute. This is a must win game for Dempo especially with their three closest rivals facing potentially tricky encounters. Third placed Salgaocar take on East Bengal away while Mohun Bagan face a potentially tricky away tie against AirIndia. HAL are currently seven points away from safety buy Pailan Arrows’ certainty of finishing among the bottom two and their insulation from relegation means that HAL are technically ten points away from safety and avoiding the drop looks a huge ask for the Bangalore based side. They will also be missing P. Pramod due to suspension. However they cannot be written off especially after they defeated Dempo in their final game of the season at this very ground last year to avoid the drop. R.C Prakash will once again be their trump card as they hope to do an encore against Dempo and secure their second win of the season.

HAL Bangalore Probable Starting Lineup: Amar, Biju, Debnath, Chand, Kenneth, James, Jagaba, Karthikeyan, Mutath, Joseph, Prakash.

THE SOCCERTUB PREDECTION:
DEMPO 2-2 HAL

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