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Pune FC looks to push the advantage earned from their opener when they play against Prayag United SC in a Group-D Federation Cup match at the JRD Tata Stadium, Jamshedpur on Saturday.
Currently atop the group with three points, Pune FC is aware of the importance of gaining points to stay in the hunt for a place in the semifinals. For PUFC, the situation is in contrast with a must-win needed to stay in contention after the reverse suffered against Salgaocar SC.
Set with different missions, both teams will also have to deal with the badly beaten-pitch, which leads to a forces change in their respective playing styles. The overnight rain and the PUFC-Salgaocar encounter compounded the poor nature of the pitch.
Pune FC Coach Derrick Pereira added, “The ground got worse and is not suited to play the ground ball… A change of approach is on cards.”
As for the match on hand, the Pune FC Coach felt that the need of the hour shall be to defend the aerial balls. The opinion stems from the fact that PUSC boast of a good strike-force in Ranti Martins and Carlos Hernandez apart from dropping a hint about how the game will overall progress.
Both sides meet for 12th time in all-time competitions and have shared equal honours in elite-level competitions. “They (Prayag United) are an excellent side with good quality players in their line up,” the Coach explains.
In fact, the battle gets entertaining as to how Pune FC strikers Jeje Lalpekhlua and Subash Singh deal with ex-Pune FC goalkeeper Subrata Paul as an opposite apart from midfielder Lester Fernandez.
“The players are in a good frame of mind after the win over United Sikkim,” the coach explained and preferred to stay away from the being drawn to the opposition’s line up.
Having a full-squad to his disposal, the Coach expects to make some changes to the squad. “The ground situation is such that some players will have to be preserved. Moreover, fresh legs always make a lot of good.”
Aware of the job on hand, Pune FC, on Friday, went through their paces at the JRD Hockey ground in a morning session. Players who played the USFC game went through a recovery-training cycle while the others pushed themselves harder during the session.
With PUSC already having a feel of the JRD Stadium, the coach differs in speaking about the disadvantage after AIFF shifted the game out from Keenan Stadium. “The disadvantage will be to both teams. The game in my opinion will be a touch and go one. Whoever goes forward always will have the advantage.”
Both Pune FC and PUSC meet for the first time in the Fed Cup and will be playing on neutral venue for the fourth time.
“We as a team we remain confident,” the coach signed off.
HEAD 2 HEAD (all Matches)
12/02/12 IL Pune FC 2-1 Prayag United SC at Puune
15/11/11 IL Prayag United SC 5-1 Pune FC at Kolkata
21/10/11 DC Prayag United SC 2-0 Pune FC at New Delhi
16/03/11 IFS Prayag United SC 0-1 Pune FC at Kolkata
08/03/11 IL Prayag United SC 1-0 Pune FC at Kolkata
18/12/10 IL Pune FC 1-1 Prayag United SC at Pune
31/10/10 DC Pune FC 0-0 Prayag United SC at New Delhi
09/04/10 IL Prayag United SC 1-1 Pune FC at Kolkata
28/01/10 IL Pune FC 2-1 Prayag United SC at Pune
20/04/08 I2D Prayag United SC SC 4-2 Pune FC at Guwahati
09/04/08 I2D Prayag United SC 2-0 Pune FC at Pune
