Sporting Clube de Goa will be eyeing nothing less than a victory when they take on United Sports Club in a crucial match of the I-League at the Duler Stadium, here tomorrow.
A win will take them to the top of the ladder, along with Bengaluru FC, and that will be a good incentive for all the hardwork the team has put in all these months, feels Sporting Clube de Goa coach Oscar Bruzon.
"The boys have really worked hard. They have slogged everyday and deserve to be in the position that they are. But, before we can start jumping to conclusions, I need to win against United Sports Club," he said.
Bruzon insisted his team can start looking at "higher goals" only when the I-League resumes next year.
Sporting Clube are placed second at the moment and are considered challengers to leaders Bengaluru FC for the title. They are just three points behind the leaders but the Spanish coach said any plans to compete for positions can wait till February.
"For now, we have to focus on one match at a time," he said.
Bruzon said it is "mandatory" for his team to collect all three points on offer, especially because they lost 1-3 to United in the away match.
"With due respect to United, it was a game we should have won comfortably. We missed so many chances and conceded two silly goals at the fag end of the match. We don't want such stories to be repeated," he said.
Sporting Clube will welcome back Mathew Gonsalves and Prathesh Shirodkar, both of whom sat out of the last match due to suspension. Jovel Martins and Mauvin Borges, however, are injured and unlikely to play any part in the concluding I-League game before the break.
United are currently seventh on the table with 18 points. A win will take them to the fourth spot and with the likes of Ranty Martins and Eric Brown to count upon, United will always remain a dangerous side.
The last time coach Eeclo Schattorie's side visited Goa they returned with an emphatic victory over Dempo Sports Club. Schattorie will be hopeful of completing the double over Sporting Clube.
