East Bengal will need a draw while Mohun Bagan have to win in order to clinch the Calcutta Football League (CFL) crown when the arch-rivals cross swords in a virtual knockout last league engagement at the Kanchenjunga Stadium here on Sunday.
Both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan have 22 points from eight games each. But the red and gold brigade are much ahead in terms of goal difference. They have found the back of the net 26 times over the course of the league but have only conceded five goals.
Mohun Bagan have also conceded five goals but have scored 20 times.
Both teams are yet are yet to lose a match in this edition of the CFL and have dropped points only once -- Mohun Bagan against Rainbow SC and East Bengal versus Mohammedan Sporting. But Khalid Jamil coached East Bengal have been much more prolific in front of goal than their arch-rivals.
With East Bengal on the cusp of their eighth CFL title, Jamil, who helped Aizawl FC record a fairytale I-League triumph last season under similar circumstances, is determined to ensure victory and finish off his team's campaign in grand style.
"I don't want a point. I want to win. If we lose, we finish second. I want to go for the kill," Jamil said before leaving for Siliguri.
On the other hand, Mohun Bagan coach Shankarlal Chakraborty has his task cut out.
"Each and every player of East Bengal is good. We have to be at our very best," he said.
East Bengal will be missing the services of striker V.P. Suhair who is still recuperating from an injury. Trinidad and Tobago forward Willis Plaza though is fit as is Syrian midfielder Mahmoud Al Amna.
"Al Amna can make a very big contribution. He is a very intelligent player," Chakraborty said.
Mohun Bagan are fretting over the fitness of midfielder Shilton D'Silva. The green and maroon brigade have so far relied heavily on the pair of Kamo Stephane Bayi and Ansumana Kromah.
For them to halt East Bengal's juggernaut as far as the local league is concerned, these two will have to fire. Mohun Bagan last won the CFL title in 2009.
Off the field, the two clubs would also like to put behind the unsavoury incident that took place between both sets of supporters after East Bengal thrashed Tollygunge Agragami 5-0.
After Willis Plaza's treble sealed the win for East Bengal to hand them the initiative in the two-horse title race, a group of East Bengal fans hurled stones at Mohun Bagan's club tent.
Mohun Bagan Ground Secretary Swapan Banerjee had filed a complaint at the Maidan Police Station against a section of 'unidentified' East Bengal fans for damaging the club tent.
Banerjee also stated in the complaint that the club's signboard was damaged and two members were 'badly injured' while the miscreants made inappropriate gestures at the club's female supporters.
East Bengal officials later visited Mohun Bagan club and apologised.
--IANS
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