I-League: Punjab FC to face Kolkata giant today

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 23

After going down fighting 0-1 against Churchill Brothers in its last encounter, RoundGlass Punjab FC (RGPFC) is now ready to face Kolkata giant Mohammedan Sporting in its next I-League encounter in Kolkata tomorrow.

RGPFC head coach Curtis Fleming said the team had learnt from its mistakes and was looking forward to playing against the opposition.

“We learn from history, we move on, we try to prove ourselves as a club and look ahead to the next game,” said Fleming.

Mohammedan Sporting is still unbeaten in the I-League so far. RGPFC defender Aakash Sangwan, while interacting with the media, said one could not predict results considering past performances. “We are learning each day and making improvements. I believe in my team and I believe we can turn things around,” Aakash said.

Meanwhile, discussing about the opponents, Fleming said his side would be up against a club having an experience of over 130 years. “We are just a fresh entity. They have a rich history and we know about it. They have a big budget and an experienced squad. However, we know we will be competitive and are looking forward to the game. We know it will be a difficult battle,” he said.

He said: “It’s a game like every other game in the I-League. You need to go and win it. As I said before, it’s not a marathon but a sprint.”

Talking about the title challenge, he said: “The challenge is for everybody. When you start the season as a coach, as a club, there are all sorts of plans and pathways, but we want to build our foundation in the first season. We then need to evaluate where we stand and how we can make our club the strongest in the future. Our challenge everyday is to make our players better and more organised. As far as the title challenge is concerned, I’m looking at every game as a challenge.”

It’s doubtful that Bikash Yumnam, Sumeet Passi, and Anwar Ali will play in the game against Mohammedan Sporting, but a decision on their availability will be taken on the match day.