ISL 2021-22: Buoyant Chennaiyin FC face struggling SC East Bengal

Bengaluru, December 2: A buoyant Chennaiyin FC (CFC) will be eye a third straight win as they take on a struggling SC East Bengal (SCEB) in Match 15 of the Indian Super League (ISL) on Friday (December 3).

While two-time champions CFC appear to be gaining in confidence, the SCEB side has only one point to show from the three matches they played so far. in the ISL 2021-22 season.

ISL RESULTS | POINTS TABLE | FIXTURES

Also the Kolkata side has conceded 10 goals and the defence has looked shaky, which is something CFC skipper Anirudh Thapa and his team would take note of.

CFC defeated NEUFC in their previous game with skipper Thapa putting himself on the scorers list.

ISL: NEUFC vs CFC, Highlights: Chhangte and Thapa seal the deal for Chennaiyin against NorthEast

While, the captain would like to add to his tally he would also expect more players to find the net in the coming games.

CFC coach Bozidar Bandovic, however, made it clear they cannot afford to take any team lightly.

"First, of all, we go game by game. Opponents, they will be focussed 100 per cent, we need to be ready and we are ready for this," Bandovic said during the pre-match virtual media interaction.

"We have a chance to make it three wins in a row. We need to show respect to every opponent. Doesn't matter if the opponent has conceded 10 goals (so far), we need to prepare and be ready for this game and with full concentration."

CFC is missing the services of influential mid-fielder Rafael Crivallero, owing to an injury, but Vladimir Koman has proved to be a more than apt replacement and will look to make a mark after having indicated his intent to score in every game.

ISL 2021-22: NEUFC vs CFC; Koman high on confidence

SCEB on the other hand, had drawn against Jamshedpur before losing to ATK Mohun Bagan and Odisha FC and they will rue their chances.

Coach Manuel Diaz had been critical of the team after the heartbreaking 4-6 loss to Odisha FC and he will be hoping that the team puts up a better performance against a side high on confidence.

ISL 2021-22: Odisha FC beat SC East Bengal in 10-goal thriller

""For the moment, it is what it is. We don't have enough quality for playing these kinds of matches mainly in the set pieces we are losing the positions. Our job is working out with the squad and fixing it. At the moment we don't have enough quality to play matches in the Indian Super League," Diaz had said after SCEB lost a 10-goal thriller to Odisha.

He had also added that defending the goalpost was a collective responsibility and not just the job of just the defenders.

"Defensive responsibilities are the whole squad, not only the line of defence. Our performance and the whole team is at par level because they have allowed scoring in simple situations and easily away."

The Kolkata giants will now need their defence to tighten up and make sure they do nt allow the opponents easy goals.

But it is a job easier said than done and a team low on confidence would require to be at their best to keep CFC at bay.

The match to be held at the Tilak Maidan Stadium in Vasco will kick off at 7.30pm IST and will be shown live on Star Sports 2 and Star Sports 3 SD/HD channels.

(With PTI inputs)