2nd Division I-League: Real Kashmir, Hindustan FC gear up for virtual final

Representational pic

Real Kashmir and Hindustan FC are all set to lock horns in the virtual final of the ongoing I-League 2nd Division at the FSV Arena in Bengaluru on Wednesday to determine the team which will play the I-League next season.

Although it is a virtual final, Real Kashmir enters the match with an upper hand. Both teams sit on four points each in the table with Real Kashmir leading to a difference in goals scored. Hindustan FC needs to win at any cost and if the match ends in a draw, Real Kashmir will qualify for the next edition of I-League. Nonetheless, Real Kashmir have a hard task at hand as they face a well-organized Hindustan FC side, who are competitive at both ends of the pitch. But coach David Robertson ensured that Real Kashmir have a sound game plan backed by players will be able to withstand the pressure of the occasion.

While Real Kashmir performed well against TRAU in their 2-2 draw, it wasn't their best performance as they missed some vital opportunities of their own, while allowing their opponents the space they needed to get in behind and finish.

What Real Kashmir do have in their favour is the likes of Nadong Bhutia, Ifham Tariq and Yao Kouassi Bernard who can do the business up-front, while midfielder Danish Farooq will need to be at the top of his game in order to keep the team¿s dream of making the I-League a reality. Real Kashmir is vulnerable at the back, which Robertson warns must change. The Scottish mastermind insists his players cannot afford to worry about their opposition, indicating the key to their success will be to execute their own game plan.

"If we concentrate on our performance then the results will take care of itself," said Robertson. For Real Kashmir to accomplish their mission, senior players like Nadong Bhutia, Sukhwinder Singh, Atinder Mani and Loveday Enyinnaya must raise their hands because the team is largely inexperienced. On the other hand, Hindustan FC's campaign looked perhaps a little less convincing. The men from the capital were made to work hard for their win against TRAU before playing out a 2-2 draw with Ozone FC despite leading twice. Hindustan FC are still shy of rhythm and need more assertiveness in the attack.

However, coach Vikrant Sharma's belief is that his side can be much more efficient in front of goal and his expectation will be for them to finish the chances that come their way because in a crunch match like this opportunities will be few and far between.

"It's the decisive match; if we can get full three points tomorrow we will go to the I-League and like I have said in the past my aim is to win every game, so against Real Kashmir, my team will be going all out, "said Sharma. Sharma, who has successfully transformed Hindustan FC into a force to be reckoned with, will be hoping for another strong performance from his charges against a side which he believes will provide a stern challenge.

"Real Kashmir is a team that is well put together. I think they are very direct they are happy to sit back and defend but they are also dangerous going forward. It will be a tough match but we back ourselves to get a result," he added. While Real Kashmir possesses a more aggressive attack which knows how to turn it on when they need to, Hindustan FC's advantage is that they have worked together as a unit longer than their opponents who are with a new set-up.

Catch up on all the latest T20 news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Except for the change in headline, the story has been provided "AS-IS," "AS AVAILABLE, without any verification or editing from our side. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever