Testing time for Bagan as they face marauding United SC

A weak defence has been the persisting problem for Mohun Bagan for two seasons and this time too the think-tank, it seems, have forgotten to plug the loopholes.

They boast of a lethal attack in Odafa Okolie and Tolgey Ozbey who joined from East Bengal this season in a much-talked about transfer, but with a weak backline they would be up against an opposition who have begun their campaign on a high.

Unlike Mohun Bagan, United SC seemed to have struck the right chords after the recently-concluded Federation Cup where both the teams were eliminated in the group stage.

United began their I-League campaign with a bang with their star acquisition Ranty Martins firing a hat-tirck to inspire a 10-man side to a 5-1 victory over Durand Cup champions Air India.

The purple brigade's marauding form will surely give Mohun Bagan defence some jitters as they would hope for Syed Rahim Nabi to start in the defence but it remains to be seen how much resistance they muster against a potent United attack led by Martins.

In Martins and Costa Rican World Cupper Carlos Hernandez, United SC showed what they were capable of against Air India and they would like to carry on from where they left in the previous match, even without Bello Rasaq who was red-carded.

Also, it would be a testing time for Mohun Bagan's beleaguered coach Santosh Kashyap who faced severe criticism following their disastrous Federation Cup campaign.