EB-Bagan clash under Blatter eye

Kolkata, Apr 14 (UNI) With the most powerful man in the world soccer here to witness the tie, one of the oldest rivalries in Indian football will come alive with new vengeance when East Bengal and Mohun Bagan clash at the Salt Lake stadium here tomorrow.

While Mohun Bagan are trying to rise from the ashes, East Bengal are trying to get that one victory that would leave the 11th ONGC National Football League wide open.

Yet, it's the green-and-maroon brigade that looked the more confident camp of the two, and rival coach Carlos Alberto Perera da Silva admitted it.

''If we win tomorrow, we are sure to win the NFL this year. But they (Mohun Bagan) are the favourites for tomorrow's match. The main reason being they are playing the same team for a long time, thus they play as a unit. While we are still struggling with our injuries,'' he said.

Injuries are definitely not doing any favour to the team combination. Coach Carlos, however, may have some reason to smile as he would get D'Cunha back on the field tomorrow, along with Jayanta Sen and Malsawmtluanga.

His woes would not be totally over though, as his right flank looks to be a problem area with Syed Rahim Nabi out with an injury.

He was reluctant to divulge who is he going to take the responsibility of the right flank, but with Bibiano Fernandes and Soumik Dey around, he would have his options. Young Abhra Mondal will continue to man the bar.

If one thought that the sudden resignation of former coach Cheema Okorie would demoralise the Mohun Bagan players, he couldn't have been farther from truth. Asked if Blatter's presence was a motivator, pat came the reply from coach Bernard Operanozie, ''I don't think that would make any difference, our real motivation is our drive to win the match.'' Mohun Bagan had lost the last encounter between the two teams, and Operanozie insisted that it would be kind of a grudge match for them.

He, however, did not give any details of the team he is going to field tomorrow. The entire unit, sans Fabio Cortez Vidal, is fit.

Asked the reason for the team's average performance at home as compared to the impressive performances in the away matches of AFC Cup, he said, ''No one knows (Jose Ramirez) Barreto or Baichung (Bhutia) abroad, so there is no pressure. They play more freely.'' With Bengali new year coinciding with the derby, it is the team with more hunger that will take the right step this new year.

UNI