Mohun Bagan seek winning start in IFA Shield

KOLKATA: Having had endured a barren season so far, Mohun Bagan now have their eyes firmly fixed on the lifting the IFA Shield. A good start is of utmost importance but technical director Subhas Bhowmick has problems aplenty when his side locks horn with Shillong Lajong FC in a Group B encounter at the Salt Lake Stadium on Monday.
Rakesh Masih and Anwar Ali are back on national duty while there is a host of injury worries to tackle.Subair Muritala Ali, Snehashish Chakraborty, Sagram Mandi and Surkumar Singh are all on the list of injured and are unlikely to take part in Monday's game and Jose Ramirez Barreto, in all probability, will come on as a second-half substitute.
In such a scenario, Ashim Biswas will pair up with Edeh Chidi up front while Jayanta Sen, Dipendu Dowary, Satish Kumar and Gouranga Datta line up in the midfield. Deepak Mondal will have to lead the depleted backline against the Lajong boys, who will rely on short passes and speedy runs.
Lajong, who went into their opening clash against Aryan sans any foreigner in their starting XI, are likely to employ all their foreigners - James Gbilee, Kelechi Okoye and Million - against Mohun Bagan.
The two teams have faced each other only once this season with Bagan winning 1-0 in a Federation Cup match in Cuttack.