To materialize their dream of making it through to the last four, Three Star´s forward line-up should sharpen their finishing. [break]Due to poor finishing, Three Star have failed to win even a single match inside the regulation time in the last three tournaments they have played.
Three Star had to wait for 111 minutes for a goal in their first match of the tournament against Indian side Pune FC on Monday. Raju Rai´s decider in the match had kept Three Star´s hopes alive in the tournament to the delight of the Nepali fans at the stadium.
Three Star and Bengal Mumbai are unaware of each other. To strengthen their forward line-up Three Star have called up former player of Machhindra Club Ezee Collins. Three Star coach Meghraj KC is likely to field Collins in the starting line-up. However, he had not taken a decision until Tuesday evening.
According to KC, he would decide on Collins´ inclusion in the team following a meeting with the club´s senior players and officials.
Meanwhile, Three Star´s new signing midfielder Ranjit Shrestha, who was in Delhi to attend to some family business, is also on the way to Sikkim for the quarterfinal match.
All the players but Bikash Singh Chhetri were present in the training on Tuesday. According to coach KC, he was given rest following pain in his knee.
The defense line-up of captain Sanjeev Budhathoki, Bishnu Sunuwar, Bikash Singh Chhetri and Biraj Maharjan, who came up with stubborn defending against Pune FC, will retain position. Yogesh Gurung, Bharat Khawas, Pravin Karki and Anil Ojha will take charge of the midfield and Rajkumar Ghising and Buddha Chemjong are the forwards. However, it is really difficult to predict how Three Star would perform in their upcoming match.
Shillong Lajong FC coach Pradhyum Reddy said, “Though they have a beautiful game, they have problem in finishing. One cannot win football without scoring. The team must improve their scoring power,” said Reddy. However, he praised goalie Kiran Chemjong´s performance.
Two months earlier, Three Star had played a goalless draw to Shillong Lajong during the Bordoloi Cup in Assam, India.
Reddy also termed Bengal Mumbai FC as a good team. “It is a good team and also has former players from the I-League,” said Reddy. “I hope tomorrow´s match is interesting.”
MMC´s opponents changed
Sikkim Football Association, the organizer of the 32nd All India Governor´s Gold Cup, has changed the quarterfinal opponents of Laxmi Hyundai Manang Marshyangdi Club due to technical reasons. According to the changed draw published on Tuesday, MMC will play against Techno Aryan XI on Friday.
Earlier, they were scheduled to play against Mohammedan Sporting Club of Kolkata.
Anil Gurung´s team triumphs
Shillong Lajong, the Indian team Nepali striker Anil Gurung plays from, made it through to the quarterfinals of the 32nd All India Governor´s Gold Cup on Tuesday defeating the local Sikkim Police 4-0 at the Paljor Stadium in Gangtok, Sikkim.
Gurung, who came up in the starting line-up, got as many as three scoring opportunities but failed to utilize them properly. In the first half, he hit the woodwork and his header in the other half was taken by the goalie. Gurung was substituted during the latter part of the second half.
Shillong Lajong will take on BNR, Kolkata in the quarterfinal on Saturday.
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