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I-League: Confident Indian Arrows ready for Minerva Punjab's challenge

Indian Arrows will go into the game against Minerva Punjab FC full of confidence after a 3-0 win against Chennai City FC in their I-League opener, at the GMC Bambolim Athletic Stadium in Goa

By Aravind
Indian Arrows players during a training session (Image courtesy: AIFF Media)

Margao, December 4: Indian Arrows will go into the game against Minerva Punjab FC full of confidence after a 3-0 win against Chennai City FC in their I-League opener, at the GMC Bambolim Athletic Stadium in Goa on Tuesday (December 5).

On the eve of the game against Minerva Punjab FC, Arrows coach Luis Norton de Matos said his team is ready for the challenge.

"Every game is a different story and I think Minerva and the other teams will look at us in a different way. I think they will come more prepared. They won't come and say that these players are young, they will say that they must play 100 per cent to beat our team. We also have to play hundred percent to beat Minerva," Matos said.

Positive start. ....😍 good game ❤ still a long way to go ⚽ but we can #indianArrows❤💪

A post shared by ⚽by birth 👦 (@stalinsanjeev) on

Aniket Jadhav scored a brace and Boris Singh was on target as Arrows managed to keep a clean sheet against Chennai City FC. The coach, however, said there's room for improvement.

"Our mentality tomorrow is to try to win the game. We'll try to play better. The main things are to not make mistakes and be focussed always," Matos said.

It was an impressive performance where the boys showed tactical nous and a killer instinct. And Minerva Punjab coach Wangkhem Khogen Singh is wary of that.

"In the match against Chennai City, they were extremely good in the counter attacks. We have to be careful about this," Wangkhem said. "It is an away game and we have to be careful in the defence."

De Matos fielded 10 players from the team that was part of the Under-17 World Cup with only Edmund Lalrindika from the U-19 squad for the first game.

And the coach hinted that he might retain the same Playing XI against Minerva.

Wangkhem identified Aniket Jadhav as the biggest threat on Tuesday.

Minerva Punjab FC won't be pushovers as they come into the game unbeaten, having held the mighty Mohun Bagan 1-1 before a 2-1 win against Neroca FC.

In both the games, the Ludhiana-based club rallied after falling behind and they would be up for a fight against Luis Norton de Matos' young side.

Minerva's Bhutanese forward Chencho Gyeltshen will be the one to watch out for. Chencho scored one and set-up the second in their win against Neroca FC.

"It will be an interesting game. They have shown that they are a very good team. We have come here to get three points," Chencho said.

Three Arrows' players- Namgyal Bhutia, Abhishek Halder, and Lalengmawia - are out injured for the game.


Indian Arrows vs Minerva Punjab

I-League

Live from Bambolim

at 8 pm

on Star Sports 2 and Hotstar


Source: AIFF Media

Story first published: Monday, December 4, 2017, 19:59 [IST]
Other articles published on Dec 4, 2017