Mohun Bagan will play against Dempo in their penultimate match of I league 2008-09 on Sunday, April 12, 2009. The match will be held in Barasat stadium from 6.30 pm. This is a must win match for Mariners. Mohun Bagan now has 40 points from 20 matches and currenly in 2nd position in league table. Churchill is leading with 43 matches from 21 matches while Sporting de Goa is at 40 points from 21 matches.

Yesterday Mohun Bagan had their practice session in the morning from 8.30 a.m. Few senior players like Barreto, Bhaichung, Sangram, Manju, Ishfaq, Marcos, Dipak and Odafe had a rest day; however, today morning at same time, there will be practice session for full team. Mohun Bagan had so far played twice against Dempo this year, once in I league and the next time in Federation Cup final, both times Mohun Bagan won 1-0, Barreto scored in both matches. Barreto who played last match of AFC cup with fever is expected to be fully fit before Dempo match and Manju might also play the match.

So far this year Mohun Bagan has won Kolkata league and Federation Cup. In I league they still have a chance to win the tournament but in AFC Cup Mariners failed to win any match so far. Unluckily, Mohun Bagan’s group is the toughest group of this year’s edition of AFC Cup and team fought valiantly but lost the three matches 1-0, 2-1 and 1-0. In case of Dempo, they definitely had a great AFC Cup so far and last year also they reached semi finals but their domestic season has been poor, in Goa league they are now in 3rd position 11 points behind league leaders Churchill, could not win Federation Cup and in I league they are in 4th place 13 points behind Churchills.

Mohun Bagan will play their final round match of I league in Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi against Mahindra United on April 16th. Meanwhile, the last two round matches of Mohun Bagan in AFC Cup has been rescheduled, now they will play their away match on 5th May and home match on 19th May. The Super Cup match of Mohun Bagan will be on 26th April in Gurgaon.

                              

PICTURE: SOUMYADEB SINHA

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