Churchill Brothers host Mohun Bagan in I-League with revenge on mind

Vasco: Chief coach Alfred Fernandes may think otherwise but revenge will certainly be on Churchill Brothers' minds when they lock horns with Mohun Bagan in a Hero I-League return fixture here on Saturday.

The last time these two sides met, it was a field day for Mohun Bagan as they triumphed 5-0 at the Barasat stadium.

Since then, the ride has been a roller coaster one for the Kolkata outfit as well as their counterparts, who are battling to survive in the country's premier league.

"We conceded five against Bagan, but that was the previous Churchill brothers. Revenge is not in our mind but it's about all three points," Fernandes said on the eve of the match.

Mohun Bagan coach Sankarlal Chakraborty said the one at Tilak Maidan will be a different game altogether.

"In our home match we won 5-0, but now the situation is different and it won't be easy," he said.

The Goan side comes into the game after rescuing a point against Gokulam FC.

The Red Machines were staring at defeat as Gokulam FC led 1-0 until the 90th minute, when debutant Onyeama Frincis Okechukwu struck to snatch a point.

Churchill Brothers currently sit eighth on the table with 17 points with two games to go - counting the Bagan clash.

"We have two matches, we win two matches and we are in the Super Cup. That is an incentive and the players know the importance of tomorrow's match," Alfred said.

Meanwhile, Mohun Bagan had a fruitful outing against Indian Arrows at the Tilak Maidan with a 2-0 victory in their last game.

As things stand, Mohun Bagan have 10 points more than Churchill as they sit fourth with 27 points.

"If you see the initial stage in the I-League, Churchill struggled. Then they changed the foreigners and they played excellently in some matches. They had to replace Koffi and Kalu again. They brought in new players again. That means the aim and ambition are always high with Churchill," the Bagan coach suggested.

New arrivals flew in as Okechukwu and Zunapio Jeancy were brought in for the final three games of the season.

Okechukwu made an important contribution with a goal against Gokulam Kerala FC that earned them a vital point.

Mohun Bagan have the top-scorer Dipanda Dicka in their ranks, and he will be the man to watch out for.

"It's not about Dicka or anyone else, our strength is our indomitable team spirit," Chakraborty said.

As far as the recent form guide is concerned, in the last five matches, Churchill have one win, three defeats and a draw.

Meanwhile, the Kolkata giants have three wins, a draw and a defeat from their last five outings.