NEW DELHI, February 10: Air-India, Mumbai will strive to maintain their fine unbeaten streak despite injury worries when they take on struggling champions JCT, Phagwara in the second leg of the second Philips National Football League.Tomorrow's clash at the poorly maintained Ambedkar Stadium will be vital for both Air-India, joint leaders with Mohun Bagan with 20 points, and JCT, who are languishing at the sixth place having secured only 13 points.
Both teams have played 10 matches each. Air-India have five wins and draws while JCT come into the match with only three wins and as many losses.
Bagan, who play Salgaocar on February 12, have played only nine matches.Air-India have played all but two matches at home, but start with the psychological edge of having beaten the Punjab club by a solitary goal at home on December 23.
While the Mumbai side kept up their professional showing past the halfway stage with a fluent 2-0 win over last year's runners-up Churchill Brothers, Goa in Margao two days ago,JCT huffed and puffed in drawing parity with Indian Bank, Chennai who are at the bottom of the table.
Both teams will miss key players. JCT's Nigerian striker Seriki Abdul Lateef and medio Hardip Singh will sit out after receiving two yellow cards. Air-India will take the field without Khambiton Singh (ankle injury) with defender Taposh Ghosh being a doubtful starter.
Coach Bimal Ghosh informed that Khambiton had aggravated the ankle injury against Churchill.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
