East Bengal FC will be leaning on its rich legacy and a recent assumption of form to leverage its chances against the defending champion and the home favourite, Odisha FC when the two clash for the Kalinga Super Cup, at the Kalinga Stadium here on Sunday evening.
The final is going to be a feisty affair considering the arsenal the two sides possess. Both the teams seem to be on an even keel having won all four matches (group league and the semifinals) while making their way to the title round.
FOLLOW THE KALINGA SUPER CUP FINAL LIVE HERE: EAST BENGAL vs ODISHA FC LIVE SCORE
In every assessment, the two opponents match each other in almost all the departments of team composition. But when it comes to consistency, Odisha FC steals the march for being the more successful side.
The Juggernauts have remained unbeaten in the 15 matches (across ISL, AFC Cup and Super Cup) while winning an enviable 13 of them. East Bengal weathered a shaky start before steadying itself in the later stages of the ISL. The red and gold brigade has remained unbeaten in the last nine games while recording five wins in them.
The final also offers East Bengal a big chance to erase a prolonged title drought of 12 years when it comes to winning a national championship. The Federation Cup title in 2012 was the last big triumph listed in the name of the Torch Bearers of Kolkata.
“Both teams present good dynamics of results in their performances. We have been performing consistently. And it is the same with Odisha as they have a longer unbeaten streak. Unfortunately, those dynamics are going to break as one of the teams is going to lose tomorrow.
“It will be a very difficult game but we will try to win as we have been doing in the last few matches,” East Bengal’s Spanish gaffer Carles Cuadrat said while assessing the two sides in the final clash.
Much unlike the country’s top league – the Indian Super League – the dynamics in the Super Cup have been determined by the quality and form of the foreigners.
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A team is allowed to field six foreigners and the sides which have been able to comply with this condition have been more successful. Both the opponents in the final are again level on this aspect as Cuadrat and his compatriot Sergio Lobera, the Odisha FC head coach, have based their success recipe on this factor.
Moreover, Cuadrat will have the option of strengthening the side with the inclusion of the national team players, Lalchungnunga and Naorem Mahesh Singh, who have rejoined after their Asian Cup assignment.
“We have a big game in front of us. We have the responsibility to keep the trophy here. We are excited about this opportunity and the most important thing is to enjoy the final. It is a big game for everyone and the important thing is to focus on our style of play and believe in ourselves,” Lobera said.
“Our players have shown that they can play good football. They have shown good character and have done well in the big games in a crazy calendar with so many tournaments overlapping.
“We have beaten some very good teams like Mohun Bagan and Bashundhara Kings in the AFC Cup, and FC Goa and Mumbai City FC in this competition. I am confident because I trust my players two hundred per cent,” he added.
Lobera has the benefit of having the team together since the start of the season and this will be the advantage the shrewd tactician will count on to upset East Bengal’s game plan.
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