JCT to clash against Dempo in NFL

Mapusa (Goa), Mar 30 (UNI) Defending champions Dempo will seek to capitalise on home advantage, when they lock horns with former champions J C T Mills, Phagwara in the second leg of the ONGC 10th National Football League Championship match here tomorrow.

Both teams played out a goaless draw in the first leg and are tied with 10 points each from nine outings.

Dempo coach Arman Colaco's only worry is his team's defence, which is severely handicapped with injuries to key regular players and to add to their woes dependable defender Majek Bolaji is also down with measels and will not play tomorrow.

He said, he would try to include injured Sameer Naik. Dempo's regular players nursing injuries are defender Stainly Colaco, Domnic Noronha, Melwyn Rodrigues down with Jaundice and Climax Lawrence.

Though Dempo have a superior striking force with Nigerian Renty Martin to lead the attack along with Isfaq Ahmed or Robert Mendes Silva (Beto) and a half line manned by Jules Alberto Dias, Clifford Miranda, Nascimento Silveira or Sebastiano Endro the team has still not lived upto their awesome reputation in the championship and would have to tone up their game after losing 4-5 to East Bengal in the last match.

The JCT coach Sukhwinder Singh said their key players Harish Sharma and Renedy Singh were not fit and will not play tomorrow.

He said Dempo is an experienced side and though looking jaded, they have a good bench.

''Dempo will be playing at home but we will give a good fight to snatch points,'' the visitor coach added.

The match will be a keenly contested affair as both the teams need wins to improve their points position.

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