I-League: Aizawl FC confident of home win

New Delhi: Defending champions Aizawl FC are confident of collecting three points against Goan outfit Churchill Brothers in their first home fixture of the I-League in Aizawl on Wednesday.

Aizawl defeated Churchill in both the legs last season, scoring six times and conceding twice.

The hosts have played once in the tournament so far, managing to overturn a two-goal deficit for a 2-2 draw with East Bengal in Kolkata. Aizawl’s Portuguese coach Paulo Menezes said his team’s focus is squarely on winning.

Menezes said, “We will play the way we played in the Mizoram Premier League. Sometimes we have to defend, we cannot attack the opponents all the time.

“Several key players have left us but I hope we can form a strong team this season. After collecting one point against East Bengal, I expect three points against Churchill Brothers.”

He said Romanian striker Andrei Ionescu was a key player in attack and it’s good that he will be available against on Wednesday.

Churchill lost their opening two matches against Shillong Lajong and Mohun Bagan. They are yet to score and have conceded seven goals.

But coach Mykola Shevchenko remains optimistic of producing a favourable result at Aizawl. “We have lost two straight matches and I hope we can develop and change as a team tomorrow. We have travelled a lot these days and this makes it harder for the player’s recovery but injuries are part and parcel of the game,” he said.

Churchill forward Uttam Rai said, “I am having a lot of injuries these few months and it is hard to cope with the mental effects but I have always worked hard for the team and want to develop as a player.”