Injury-hit Viva Kerala takes on a demoralized Salgaocar at the Fatorda tomorrow in battle between two teams trying to stay afloat in the top division.
Image not recovered: Salgaocar Viva Match PreviewViva Kerala is a shade comfortable than Salgaocar and will be looking to consolidate their position in mid-table. For Salgaocar uncertainty looms ahead of their match without a coach and will need a win to pull them off the relegation zone.
The last time the two teams played this season was at the 2009 Federation Cup and both teams scored a goal each to hang onto a draw.
Form Guide
Last five completed matches during the current season (2009-10) excluding friendlies/practice matches and most recent results first
Viva Kerala – WWDWW
Viva seems to be picking up points at ease from the beginning of the New Year except for the loss to Pune FC at home. Even at the ongoing EK Nayanar Memorial tournament, Viva seemed quite at ease playing against fellow I-League teams.
Salgaocar – LWLLL
Salgaocar will be desperate for a win at home. They have lost their last few matches except for the big win against formidable Mohun Bagan.
Team News
Viva Kerala
Injury galore for Viva and Coach Sreedharan will have a difficult day. Their team’s participation at the EK Nayanar Memorial tournament has proved to be a thorn in the flesh for them as all their players except the goalkeepers are not fully fit.
Defender Charles Dzisah is suspended for the match and should have played all three matches in Kannur to preserve the energy of the other defenders.
In fact in the last match against Mumbai at Kannur, Sreedharan was finding it difficult to field an XI with goalkeeper Shahinlal Meloly playing in the outfield.
KP Anish, who has been in great form lately, is injured and has not traveled with the team. Striker Shibinlal and midfielder Rahul are also injured but will hopefully play against Salgaocar.
Rueben Senyo is back after his one-match suspension and MP Sakeer has recovered from the injury he picked up at Mumbai. Both these players will be vital to Viva’s hopes of finding the net.
Probable XI (4-4-2): K Sharat – K Noushad, Bello Rasaq, Amarwant Singh, VV Surjit – T Karma, Raman Patrick Sisupalan, MP Sakeer, C Sirajuddeen – Rueben Senyo, VK Shibinlal.
Salgaocar
Tim Hankinson OUT... Karim Bencherifa IN???
Uncertainty clouds Salgaocar with the departure of American coach Tim Hankinson and if the rumours are to be believed Karim Bencherifa could be joining Salgaocar next week.
The team has no major injury concerns with all the players from the first team available for selection. Striker Manjit Singh continues to be injured and will now find it difficult to break into the first team with both Mandjou Keita and Eneka Ikenwa continuing their good run. They also have the luxury of junior India wonderkid Malswamfela in the reserves.
The midfield seems to be the strongest with quite a few talented players fighting for places in the XI. They have Francis Fernandes, Avneet Shergill, Rocus Lamare, Beevan D’Mello, Chitrasen Chandam Singh, Cajetan Fernandes.
Probable XI (4-4-2): Kalyan Chaubey – Milagres Gonsalves, Luciano Sobrosa, Agnelo Colaco, Seshuram Chutia – Francis Fernandes, Beevan D’Mello, Rocus Lamare, Cajetan Fernandes – Mandjou Keita, Eneka Ikenwa.
Players to Watch
MP Sakeer (Viva Kerala) – Viva’s captain is back from a small injury he picked up in the last round of I-League. He was livewire in their match against Mumbai FC at the EK Nayanar Memorial. Sakeer is ready to show his mettle to the Goan football fans.
Mandjou Keita (Salgaocar) – The striker is the Goan side’s lethal weapon upfront. He has scored four times in the last five matches and is in red-hot form. He will be looking to break free from his marker Bello at the slightest opportunity.
Key Matchups Bello Rasaq vs. Mandjou Keita
C Sirajudeen vs. Beevan D’Mello
Rueben Senyo vs. Luciano Sobrosa
Jason Morais writes for footballkerala.com
From the archive. First published on footballkerala.com on Friday 12 February 2010, restored from the site's 2012 database. Text as originally published.
Comments · 2
Why did they play their first eleven at Kannur!
It was a blunder to risk the players before an easy winnable match like this. i hope viva manages a victory today