Time of reckoning

NEW DELHI: Mohun Bagan will find their four first-choice players booked out compared to Mahindra United���s just one when they meet at the Ambedkar Stadium to mark the climax of the I-League on Thursday.
However, the absence of key players which could dent Bagan���s winning chances, is not bothering coach Karim Bencherifa as much as the problem of focus and concentration.
The searing heat, the hard and uneven surface at the Ambedkar and the depleted squad have taken a back seat as Karim tried to drive home only one message: "Just concentrate."
It is true that the fate of the I-League hangs much more on the match in Goa where Churchill Brothers are ready to gun down relegation-threatened Mohammedan Sporting. Formbook says it���s Churchill���s match all the way and so will be the title. "But miracles do happen and my players are really excited," said the Bagan coach, even after conceding the fact that "the advantage is with Churchill".
With defender NS Manju and midfielders Rakesh Masih, Lalkamal Bhowmick and Marcos Perreira unavailable, Bencherifa has a puzzle to solve. The choices are to pull Jose Barreto back and pair up Baichung Bhutia with young Branco or employ Rahul Kumar in the centre of midfield.
The heart of defence will also get a new look with Deepak Mondal likely to slip in to fill the void left by Manju. Understandably, Karim kept his plans under wraps.