Kolkata, May 11 (Football News) Chasing a maiden I-League title, local heavyweights Mohammedan Sporting will look to make the most of a dramatic twist of fortunes and go all out for a win against defending champions Gokulam Kerala here on Saturday.
The Malabarians, who had a six-point advantage over Mohammedan Sporting with two matches to go, needed a draw in their penultimate round clash against Sreenidi Deccan FC to clinch an unprecedented back-to-back I-League titles.
But the Deccan outfit's stunning 3-1 victory on Tuesday gave a lifeline to the local giants who also fought their way back to contention with a 2-0 win over Rajasthan United earlier in the day.
This means that the top two teams will face each other in the final game of the season in a winner-takes-all clash at the Salt Lake Stadium.
Having played out a 1-1 draw earlier in the season, neither Gokulam Kerala nor Mohammedan SC hold any advantage when it comes to head-to-head, as that parameter is considered before goal difference comes into the picture.
The equation is simple as Mohammedan SC will have to win in order to become I-League champions for the first time in their history.
They will also be looking forward to a massive home advantage with some serious backing from their supporters at the iconic venue.
"Now that we have our destiny in our own hands, we are going to give our 200 percent. There will be a huge crowd at the stadium and we are focused and we will be looking to give our all now," Mohammedan SC defender Manoj Mohammad said.
"I would like to thank all the supporters who came to the stadium and cheered on us in our game. Even when it was raining, they came to watch our match and have supported us throughout the tournament, even under difficult circumstances." Gokulam Kerala's brilliant unbeaten run throughout the season was halted with their defeat against Sreenidi Deccan but they have a safety net of three points over Mohammedan SC, which means even a draw would guarantee them an unprecedented second successive championship win.
Playing for a draw is never an ideal scenario but Gokulam Kerala, nevertheless, will be gunning for the win to write their name into the history books.
On the other hand, the Black and White brigade will be fired up after getting a golden chance to overturn the points deficit.
These two teams were considered favourites for the I-League title at the beginning of the season and they have lived up to that billing.
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News Source : PTI
