I-League: Real Kashmir to play Churchill Brothers today

Kolkata: Real Kashmir FC will look to build on their emphatic victory and displace table-toppers Churchill Brothers when the two sides meet at the KBK Stadium in Kolkata on Monday.

With a game in hand, the Snow Leopards are three points behind Churchill brothers. A victory will help the David Robertson coached side to go top of the I-League, dethroning the Red Machines. With Real Kashmir coming on the back of a 6-0 win over Indian Arrows, the Snow Leopards are optimistic about a positive result.

Speaking at the official pre-match press conference, coach Robertson said, “We played a good game against the Indian Arrows. You get very few matches like this in a season. And, it was good to score that many goals in the season. It’s good to see when we put away the chances we created.”

“There is always room for improvement. We are up in front of a very tough opponent. Every time, we have played them in previous seasons, it has been a close affair. Tomorrow will be no different!”

“They have had a good start, like ourselves. They have played a game more than we have had. The league is very tight, and any opponent can beat anyone,” the Scottish coach added.

Defender Dharmaraj Ravanan said, ” We are ready for tomorrow’s match. We know how important the game is. We are focused, and ready to fight for the three points. We don’t feel much pressure. Like every season, we fight and give our best. And, we are going to try to do the same thing tomorrow.”

After a brilliant start to the season, Churchill Brothers have had a slight blip in the last two games, drawing to TRAU, and then Aizawl. Despite that, the Red Machines still sit on the top of the I-League. However, clash with Real Kashmir – a battle between the unbeaten, will be a significant test for Fernando Varela’s side.

Speaking at the pre-match virtual meet, Varela said, “We are prepared for them. We respect Real Kashmir as an opponent. They are a complete team. They have talented players like Danish Farooq. They also have a good quality of foreign players- Roberston, Haroon Amiri, and others.”

Churchill Brothers lost their star striker Clayvin Zuniga to injury in the game against TRAU. There have been a few concerns over the lack of goals since his injury.

However, Varela downplayed the concerns saying, “I am not worried that we have drawn the last two games. In six matches, we have created many chances to score, and we will continue to do so.”

Midfielder Shubert Pereira, said, “The team is united before this huge clash. We are working together in training, and the team morale is high before the game.” (ANI)