New Delhi, Jan 4 (IANS) Both ONGC and Pailan Arrows will be looking to consolidate their position in the mid-table when they clash in their 14th round I-League match at the Ambedkar stadium here Saturday.
Pailan Arrows, the developmental side of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) are in seventh spot but have lost their last three matches. Their last win was a 4-1 victory against ONGC in their home match at Kolkata Dec 1.
For ONGC it is a chance to avenge their defeat in the cold conditions of Delhi. ONGC have strung together a good set of results that has seen them climb into the 11th position with 11 points from 13 matches.
ONGC is just three points behind Pailan Arrows.
Pailan Arrows, the only team in the I-League without any foreign players, started their campaign with two successive wins and two draws. Coached by the Australian Arthur Papas, this team contains the cream of India’s talented junior and plays entertaining, possession football.
It will be a chance for local fans to watch the skills and speed of highly rated striker Holicharan Nazary, talented attacking midfielder Allwyn George who has already played for the senior national team in the 2012 Nehru Cup, midfielders Milan Singh and Tirthanker Sarkar and defender Deepak Devrani.
ONGC’s coach Santosh Kashyap is hopeful that winger C. Kenistan has recovered from his ankle injury and will be fit to play.
It is to be seen how their skilful players Yusa Katsumi and the Liberian Eric P. Brown combine against the well-organised Pailan Arrows defence. ONGC rely heavily on these two players to both create and score goals.
