By Abhishek Roy, IANS
Ludhiana : Famed Mumbai outfit Mahindra United will have their task cut out when they take on national league champions Dempo Sports Club of Goa in the semi-final of the 29th Federation Cup football tournament here Wednesday.
Both the teams have built up a momentum with two wins each in a row and are bristling with confidence ahead of the semi-final at the Guru Nanak Stadium here.
But the absence of midfielder Steven Dias will hurt Mahindra, who have lifted the title twice in 2003 and 2005. The India international was suspended after picking up a yellow card in the last match against Sporting Clube de Goa and it has left coach Derek Pereira short of options.
“Missing Dias is a big blow for us. He is a very crucial player in the team and it will be very hard to replace him,” said Pereira, after the team’s practice session at the Punjab Agriculture University ground (PAU) here Tuesday.
Arata Izumi, a Japanese player of Indian origin, will replace Dias. Mahindra will also miss the services of Sunil Kumar, who too picked up two yellow cards. Sukhwinder Singh will be in the first XI in his place.
“Dempo is a quality team and they have been playing exceptionally well in this tournament. The only thing that I can say before the match is that if we have to win, we have to play our cards well,” said Pereira.
Mahindra will rely much on their creative midfield, and much will depend on how Ajayan Nair and Mohammed Rafi feed their African strikers Minga Edson Dico and Djiaja Pierre.
Mahindra’s defence has to be sturdy against the lethal attack of Dempo’s Nigerian strikers Edeh Chidi and Ranty Martins. The Goan team seems to have the best striking combination and the Nigerians have spitted venom all throughout the tournament.
“Stopping Chidi and Ranty has been a headache for other teams but we have worked on it and hopefully our defence will give them a tough challenge,” said Pereira.
For Dempo, who have won the trophy only once in 2004, it has been an easy journey so far in this tournament. They have stamped their class of supremacy by trouncing Chirag United and Churchill Brothers in last two stages.
But the Goan outfit also have some problems and will miss midfielder Jerry Zirsanga, who was suspended after picking up two yellow cards and will be replaced by Johnny D’Cruz.
“Both teams have a similar style of play because Derek had spent a lot of time in Goa. And I think the match will test the maturity of my players,” said Dempo coach Armando Colaco.
It is advantage Colaco with a team that is the best and the costliest in the history of Indian football. He couldn’t have had a better defence, which has in its ranks players like Mahesh Gawli, Sameer Naik and John Dias or a quality midfield, which comprises Clifford Miranda, Climax Lawrence and Brazilian Beto.
Gawli is currently the costliest player in the country after Mohun Bagan captain Bhaichung Bhutia, and is in the prime of his form.
“Gawli is the best Indian player I have ever seen,” said Colaco.
Mahindra coach Pereira is not unfamiliar with Dempo’s style of play, as he himself hails from Goa and has also played and coached some of the big clubs of the coastal state. He will obviously have some tricks up his sleeves to come across the tough resistance from Dempo.