Bengaluru look to close gap, host Aizawl in I-League (Preview)

Bengaluru Football Club would look to close in on I-League leaders Mohun Bagan as they take on newcomers Aizawl FC at the Kanteerava Stadium here on Sunday.

The hosts find themselves third on the leader board with 15 points behind Kolkata heavyweights Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. A win will ensure Bengaluru have as many points as Bagan but still will be behind on goal difference.

Aizawl are presently seventh with eight points from eight outings.

After the change of coach midway through the season, Aizawl have been able to pull off two favourable results. Their last-to-last outing resulted in a draw against Shillong Lajong whereas in their previous game they stunned Mumbai FC 2-0.

Coach Jahar Das would ideally want a similar result, but against Bengaluru it will be a monumental task. He will look up to the likes of Joel Sunday Ayeni and H. Lalmuankima again who gave the team two quality goals in the last game and above all, grabbed all three points.

Bengaluru are coming off a demoralising defeat (0-2) against defending champions Mohun Bagan but will look to get back to winning ways against a weaker opponent this time.

Manager Ashley Westwood will leave no stone unturned in their own backyard to clinch a win as that would create pressure on Bagan and East Bengal, the two other serious title contenders. He would have to rely on his strikers to get the goals and remind them of the game prior to the Bagan contest where the 2014 champions beat DSK Shivajians 4-1.

For Aizawl, if they have to hold Bengaluru, defending in numbers will be their only option. Das will be aware of the fact that over attacking might lead to problems at the back and therefore might just look to get a point from the outing which at this stage of the competition is also very beneficial.