Kolkata: An intense battle is on the cards as bitter rivals East Bengal and Mohun Bagan face off in Indian football's oldest and most sought-after derby here on Sunday.
As the two teams revive the 87-year old duel in the 10th round of the I-League, all eyes would be on Edeh Chidi who had struck four times in Mohun Bagan colours in a 2009 derby to hand them a 5-3 victory - East Bengal's worst derby defeat.
With Chidi switching over to East Bengal ever since and coach Karim Bencharifa returning to Mohun Bagan for his second term, many found an interesting link ahead of the match.
"Well he (Chidi) will score five this time for East Bengal," club coach Trevor Morgan quipped.
For the record, East Bengal's biggest win against Mohun Bagan is 5-0, which happened in September 1975. Morgan will be relying on Chidi and the young Manandeep Singh to get the East Bengal attack firing once again.
"Chidi is a good striker and Manandeep has also improved a lot and is getting goals. This is a positive sign for me," Morgan said, sounding hopeful about his attack that has options like Robin Singh and Lalrindika Ralte.
"My defence is also playing well and has not conceded many goals. If the team has solidity at the back, its attack is strengthened," Morgan added.
Morgan, who is into his third season with East Bengal, has a better perspective of the contest. "I guess I am standing at the right place and at the right time," Morgan said reflecting back on the team's performance so far. East Bengal are the only club in the league that has remained undefeated in the 20 matches it has played so far.
Reflecting back on 2009, which is one of the high points of his career, Bencherifa said the situation has changed now.
"I feel everything, including the two teams, have changed a lot. However, I hope the outcome is same in terms of getting three points," he said. Unlike East Bengal Mohun, Bagan are placed eighth in the 14-team league table.
"I agree Mohun Bagan are down at the moment but statistics do not really matter in a derby. It will be a battle of nerves and the team holding it better will succeed," Bencherifa said.
While Australian Tolgay Ozbey has come back after a surgery on his knee, the player will need another couple of weeks to return to the field. Defender Echezona Anyichie is also unlikely while the team's key striker Okolie Odafa also has a niggling injury, increasing Bencherifa's worries.
"We had injury worries in previous derbies but we still managed to perform well," Bencherifa said.
"East Bengal are a good side with players like (Orji) Penn, Mehtab (Hossain) and (Uga) Okpara who are consistently doing well for the side. We definitely will have to give our opponent due importance," Bencherifa said.
"We also have a big striker like Odafa whose wealth of experience will be helpful. Such a derby also brings up new stars like we had Manish Mathani a few years ago. Let's hope we see something extraordinary from someone tomorrow," he added.
The Moroccan hoped for a good result, which will give the side the motivation to make a comeback in the tournament.
"I know that a win in this match would solve many of my problems. It can erase the blemish of some of our previous poor results. I think the pressure is on our opponent as they have been doing well and are second in the table," Bencherifa signed off.
Though East Bengal, the younger of the two clubs having established in 1920, are a shade ahead in comparison, Mohun Bagan (1889) enjoy the lead in the last couple of meetings in the I-League. Of the 301 matches they have played so far, East Bengal have won 112, while Mohun Bagan have prevailed in 85. The remaining 104 were drawn. But when it comes to the I-League, Mohun Bagan have enjoyed the edge in the head-to-head count last season.
Mohun Bagan won the first leg encounter 1-0 while the return leg match was drawn 1-1. In the overall scenario, the two have met 30 times in the I-League where East Bengal won 12, while Mohun Bagan succeeded in 10. The rest eight were drawn.
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