HSB/ Aizawl
Hero I-League returns to the home of the “People’s Club” – Aizawl FC as they take on the “Snow Leopards” – Real Kashmir FC in what could be seen as a match to revive their season campaigns. The match which will be played at the JLN Stadium in Aizawl on Saturday
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Aizawl will be looking to pick up their first win of the season at home as their home form has been a major concern for coach Stanley Rozario. Aizawl’s triumph in the 2016-2017 season owed to their impeccable home run where they got the better of every team except Bengaluru FC but the story has been starkly different this season.
The team from Mizoram who are placed 10th in the points table with eight points from eight games, hasn’t tasted a win since the last five encounters of the league and have garnered four draws and one loss in the build-up to this match.
Playing Real Kashmir for the first time in the season, Stanley Rozario, Head Coach of Aizawl FC said, “In the last four games, we went in front but then, we conceded and ended up dropping points. We are creating more goal-scoring chances in the last 15 minutes in every game but that’s just a number. In a league as competitive as Hero I-League, you just cannot afford to commit such silly mistakes, as we have been.”
Real Kashmir, on the other hand, have had a mixed bag of a season and are placed seventh in the points table with nine points from seven matches. Real Kashmir finally saw a win on the Republic Day having defeated Indian Arrows 2-0 after a hat-trick of results not going to their liking.
Asked where do the Snow Leopards look to finish this season, David Robertson, Head Coach, Real Kashmir responded, “After seven games and playing catch up with games we are not focussing on any finish at the moment. Our destiny will be decided around game 14. We are just looking to make sure we win each game that we play.”
Statistics favour the Snow Leopards who won and drew one match apiece against the Reds in Hero I-League so far.