Well aware that any further slip-up will cost them their maiden I-League title, leaders Mohun Bagan will take on a resurgent Sporting Clube de Goa in the penultimate round of the football tournament at the Vidyasagar Krirangan in Barasat tomorrow.
The green-and-maroon brigade are back in the lead after their win over Royal Wahingdoh FC here as they pushed defending champions Bengaluru FC to second spot on goal difference.
With two more rounds remaining and both Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC are on equal points, the Mariners cannot afford to take it easy and must win to keep them ahead in the race.
Bengaluru FC will face Dempo in Goa in a late kick-off tomorrow, so the defending champions will have the added cushion, making it imperative for Mohun Bagan to go for three points.
The Goans had beaten Mohun Bagan 2-1 in the first leg on May 16 so it will also be a grudge match for the local heavyweights to settle the scores.
The momentum will be with Mohun Bagan after their stunning 2-0 win over the Shillong outfit with young Pritam Kotal scoring a stunning goal from 35 yards.
On a three-match winning run, Sporting, however, would be a tough opponent to crack as they are unbeaten from seven matches that include four wins.
Dangerman Odafa Okolie has been back in his best while young Brandon Fernandes is also impressive.
The Nigerian ace and former Mohun Bagan forward had struck a brace to become the chief architect of their win in the first leg as he would once again pose a threat to the Mohun Bagan defence line.
"We need three points tomorrow. If we get three points, we will save relegation," SCG head coach Mateus Costa told reporters.
Costa also accepted that their team had a woeful first half of the season and it was not only Odafa but the whole team which had improved as they have moved up to seventh place with 20 points.
