Mumbai, April 2 (IANS) Mumbai FC, unbeaten at home, will aim to keep their record intact when they host Shillong Lajong FC in an I-League encounter at the Cooperage Stadium here on Friday.
The North East outfit head into this fixture after playing out a 1-1 draw at the Fatorda Stadium in Goa against Sporting Clube De Goa on March 28. They are currently second from the bottom on the points table with seven points from nine matches.
Mumbai are heading into the match on the back of a 1-3 defeat against Salgaocar FC and are seventh on the standings, with 12 points from 10 matches.
Shillong’s troubles are mostly due to a shaky defence who have conceded early goals and committed costly errors in their previous matches.
Coach Thangboi Singto demanded an improved display from his defenders.
“After conceding early against Sporting Clube, we stood strong. That shows, overall we have improved defensively. We still have to concentrate in not conceding early goals,” he said in a release on Thursday.
They will be buoyed by the 1-0 win against Mumbai FC in the first leg of the tournament in Shillong.
Singto, however, was wary of Mumbai’s physical nature of the game.
“Mumbai FC is a strong and physical side. We need to match them in those areas in order to get a positive result,” he said.
Mumbai are on an unbeaten streak at home and will look to bank on midfielders Reisangmi Vashum and Taisuke Matsugae to create scoring opportunities for strikers.
Defenders Chika Wali and Justine Stephen will have to be alert to keep Trinidadian marksman Cornell Glen quiet.