Kalinga Super Cup: East Bengal coach Carles Cuadrat expects 'tough game' against a resilient Sreenidi Deccan

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East Bengal coach Carles Cuadrat is not taking Sreenidi Deccan lightly ahead of their Kalinga Super Cup match on Sunday (January 14) in Bhubaneswar.

East Bengal secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Hyderabad FC. Cleiton Silva scored a brace for them and Saul Crespo crucially headed home the winner. On the other hand, Sreenidi Deccan suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Mohun Bagan Super Giant.

East Bengal's coach had to witness a close encounter in the first match, and he expects the same in the upcoming match against Sreenidi Deccan as well. The I-League team does have some decent players, who can inflict problems for the Red and Gold Brigade.

"We are expecting a tough game against a good team that has an excellent combination of good foreigners and talented Indians. They are a top I-League side and made things very difficult for Mohun Bagan SG in their first match," Carles Cuadrat said on Saturday.

"Let's see if we can play the kind of match that we want to and get our second consecutive victory in this Kalinga Super Cup," he further added.

The Kolkata giants got their first-ever victory in the Super Cup in their earlier match this year. In the inaugural Super Cup in 2023, they drew all three matches and were ousted from the group stages.

East Bengal players underwent a training session on Saturday. Cleiton Silva, Saul Crespo, Borja Herrera and others were in a vibrant mood during it. The Brazilian missed a couple of chances against the Nizams and will aim much more clinical approach against Sreenidi Deccan.

Carles Cuadrat knows the importance of winning the match against the 2nd tier opponent on Sunday as their arch-rivals Mohun Bagan also have three points from one match. One team from each group will advance to the semifinals and the Kolkata derby can be the decider in this group.

The Spanish coach admitted they do have some defensive issues and insists the players will have to step up in the coming matches. Cuadrat also praised the players' mentality and resilience for scoring the winning goal after being pegged back twice by Hyderabad in the last match.