Preview: SC East Bengal look to clinch maiden victory over Jamshedpur FC

The Red and Gold Brigade are yet to win a game in the Indian Super League this season.

SC East Bengal continue to search for their first win in the Indian Super League (ISL) and will hope that their fortunes will turn around against Jamshedpur FC in the forthcoming game. Owen Coyle’s men are currently high in confidence, after defeating league giants ATK Mohun Bagan in their previous game, which means the task at hand will not be easy for the Red & Gold Brigade.

The Kolkata outfit needs to be more clinical in front of the goal and convert their chances, which they are creating regularly despite a slow start to the season. While SC East Bengal must sort out their attacking performance, they must also be wary of Jamshedpur FC ace Nerijus Valskis, who is currently leading the highest scorers’ race. .

The Stakes

SC East Bengal

SC East Bengal are the only side in the ISL so far without a single point in the table, which ensures that the pressure will be on them. Four losses in a row could be the end of Robbie Fowler’s ambitions to manage a top-four finish this season. 

A win is quintessential to kickstart their campaign in the way they would have wanted to from the get-go, but even if not, a draw is must if they want to get some confidence.

Jamshedpur FC

The Men of Steel will see this as a huge opportunity to begin a winning run of their own in this season. Playing against a side who have lost their last three games and look in disarray, they will not want to drop the ball on this one and pick up maximum points from the game.

Owen Coyle is aiming to take the Men of Steel to their first-ever ISL playoffs and for that, they must maintain a winning streak. Winning games like these are what will help them achieve that dream and also make a statement to the rest of the league to be aware of them.

Team News

SC East Bengal

The Kolkata outfit are still without their captain Danny Fox after he picked up an injury against Mumbai City FC. SC East Bengal will also miss the services of Aaron-Amadi Holloway against Jamshedpur FC, who also remains on the sidelines.

Jamshedpur FC

David Grande and John Fitzerald will be unavailable for the Men of Steel, who are still recovering from their injuries. Young defender Narender Gahlot missed the previous game against ATK Mohun Bagan and remains doubtful to feature against SC East Bengal as well.

Head To Head

This will be the first time these two teams will meet each other in the Indian Super League. However, East Bengal had faced Jamshedpur FC reserves in 2019 Durand Cup, defeating them 6-0.

Predicted Lineups

SC East Bengal: Debjit (GK), Neville, Sehnaj, Irshad, Samad, Steinmann, Rafique, Narayan, Maghoma, Pilkington, Jeje

Jamshedpur FC: Rehenesh (GK), Renthlei, Eze, Hartley, Lallawmawma, Monroy, Lima, Mobashir, Jackichand, Lalnunfela, Valskis

Men To Watch

Anthony Pilkington (SC East Bengal)

Despite having a frustrating start to life in the ISL, there is no doubting Anthony Pilkington’s quality. It only seems like a matter of time before he bursts into the scene and that could come sooner than expected. 

Pilkington could be a terror for Jamshedpur’s defenders, especially with his clever movement and tendency to be in the right place at the right time. He attempted seven shots on goal against NorthEast United and will continue to take swipes against Jamshedpur. As long as not hounded by misfortune, the SC East Bengal forward’s attempts should find its mark soon and could earn him his first ISL goal against Jamshedpur FC.

Nerijus Valskis (Jamshedpur FC)

The current top scorer of the ISL has started the season on fire and has five goals already in the league. Valskis tormented ATK Mohun Bagan with his excellent positioning and finishing from set-pieces and could be a similar worry against SC East Bengal. 

With his movement around the box, impressive link-up play and finishing ability, Valskis doesn’t need many chances to make an impact. Considering how sloppy the Red & Gold Brigade have looked defensively, Nerijus will relish his chances and aim to continue his goal-scoring run with another clinical performance.

Did You Know?

• SC East Bengal are the first team in ISL history not to pick up a single point from their first three games.
• Jamshedpur FC goalkeeper TP Rehenesh has made the most number of saves (14) among any goalkeeper in the ISL this season. 
• Valskis has managed seven shots on target this season, the most managed by any player in the league till now. He has also scored from five of them.

Telecast

The match between SC East Bengal and Jamshedpur FC is set to be telecast live on Star Sports 1 SD & HD, Star Sports 2 SD & HD (English), Star Sports Hindi 1 SD & HD, Star Sports 3 and several other regional languages. Live streaming of the match will be available on Hotstar and Jio TV.

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