Real Kashmir and Punjab FC will play for pride when they face each other in an I-League phase two match at the Kalyani Municipal Stadium here on Sunday.
Real Kashmir started the season with a flurry of great results and were unbeaten in the initial nine games but they haven’t managed to deliver the desired results when the stakes were high. As a result, they are out of the title race. The Snow Leopards now find themselves in the sixth spot with 18 points from 13 games. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, goalkeeping coach Jonathan Craig said, “A lot has happened over the past few weeks and with a bit more luck we would have been way higher on the table. It has been a combination of a lot of injuries and tired bodies.
“We will be asking the same work ethic, fire, desire, and passion from the players for the next match. We want to finish the game with three points tomorrow so the work ethic is going to be very very important.”
Punjab FC have played some quality football in the season but lately, results haven’t gone their way. They haven’t been able to produce what it takes to get the job done. A lacklustre performance in their last match saw them lose 0-1 to TRAU and Punjab will have to find the missing pieces in the jigsaw if they are to take all the three points against the Snow Leopards.
“I think we have made a statement in our first season, we have shown that we can be competitive in the I-League which we are very happy with. When we look back on the games, we could have won the championship,” head coach Curtis Fleming said.
“This is not about just the one season. It is about what we want to achieve in the long run. I think till the last minute of this season everyone has to give everything for us and prepare for next season. I have no doubts that we are going to be stronger next season.”