ISL 2018-19: Things looking 'positive' for ATK's Lyngdoh after injury

Indian star midfielder and ATK player Eugeneson Lyngdoh who was out for the most part of last seasons Indian Super League (ISL) due to a knee injury, on Saturday said the prospect of his return in the coming season is "looking positive".

"Things are looking positive. I'm looking to replicate what we did in pre-season and hope to get better and better," Lyngdoh said on the sidelines of the ISL media day here.

ATK, the Kolkata club, lost one of their most valuable players in their very third game in December last season, when Lyngdoh ruptured the lateral collateral ligament on his left knee for which he underwent a surgery in January this year.

"It was a long term injury and I was sidelined for a season. I could not do what I wanted. But I'm now trying my best and hope to achieve what I could not last season," he said.

The promising midfielder, who was on crutches for close to two months after the operation, said he took complete rest at his hometown in Meghalaya's Shillong before starting work with the physiotherapist.

"I was back home in complete rest. The moment the brace came off, I was in Kolkata and then started working with the physios at ATK," he said.
 

ATK had a pre-season in Spain and their new coach Steve Coppell expressed full confidence in his recovery.

"I'm not trying to push him... But the good thing was his injury was 100 per cent curable. He looks in good shape and slowly going for tackles. He is growing in confidence day by day," Coppell said.

ATK had a fruitful pre-season in Spain and won two out of their three practice matches and will take on Kerala Blasters FC in the ISL 2018 opener at the Yuba Bharati Stadium in Salt Lake here on September 29.