Confidence high in Bharat FC camp on eve of Salgaocar FC clash

Bharat FC will take on Salgaocar FC in a Hero I-League round seven encounter at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Mhalunge-Balewadi on Sunday. The match will be telecast live on Ten Action and will kick-off at 7 pm. Bharat FC currently occupy 10th place having earned two points from their four games while Salgaocar FC are sixth with eight points from their six games.

The Lions earned a creditable point against East Bengal FC last Sunday, coming back from a goal down to draw level and secure a point against a strong East Bengal FC side. Salgaocar FC on the other hand endured a 3-0 loss at the hands of Mumbai FC at Cooperage. While the mood in the Bharat FC camp is upbeat after a strong showing in Kolkata, head coach Stuart Watkiss said that his team will go out to pick up three points and not settle for anything less.

“We are entering a very crucial phase of our season. We have three home games in front of us and it is imperative that we post some good results in front of our fans. Salgaocar FC are a strong team but we will be going all out and we want a good result against the Goans,” he said.

The Bharat FC team according to coach Watkiss has shown steady improvement with each game. The team began their season with a battling draw against Dempo SC before slipping to two narrow defeats against Royal Wahingdoh FC and Bengaluru FC. The Lions came roaring back in the following game against East Bengal FC, creating a number of chances at the Salt Lake stadium before settling for a draw.

Watkiss said that his team’s display over the last two weeks and the increasing cohesion between his players has convinced him that the team is moving in the right direction. “We are executing the plans that we work on in training in actual match situations. We are passing the ball in more fluid fashion, completing almost 85 percent of our passes. All of this indicates that the side is coming along well,” he said.

The head coach brushed aside speculation on his side being too defensive, saying that even with a lone striker, Bharat FC had been instrumental in creating multiple attacking opportunities. “Our five-man midfield allows us comprehensive time on the ball. Keeping the ball is something that I want this team to learn and they are slowly getting there. Kris (Bright) gets a bit isolated at times up-front but he has done very well to create opportunities and I am confident that my team can score a couple of goals every match even with just one out and out striker,” he said.

The team had an intensive training session at the Bharati Vidyapeeth football ground on Saturday and coach Watkiss will have all but one of his players available for selection on Sunday. Dipendu Dowary has a hamstring strain and the coaching staff will decide on the morning of the match after a fitness test whether he will play any part in the proceedings on Sunday.

Salgaocar FC, coached by Derrick Perreira, arrived in the city on Friday morning. The team from Goa has completed two training sessions and coach Perreira is confident that his team will put on a good show on Sunday. “We did not really play well against Mumbai FC. Though we created chances, we just could not convert them. I am confident in the ability of my players and I can feel that a good result is just around the corner,” he said. Salgaocar FC have former Pune FC captain Douhou Pierre in their ranks and their talismanic striker, Darryl Duffy has been in good form coming into the game.

Perreira also said that though Bharat FC was a new side, they had enough experienced players to cause problems to the opposition. “From what we have seen, Bharat FC have not played bad football. Their players are gradually playing as a unit and they seem to hold their shape well. However, we believe that they are still not a settled side and we expect to get a good result against them with them still not having reached their peak,” he said.