I-League 2018-19: Mohun Bagan vs Gokulam: Match preview and prediction
Mohun Bagan will play hosts to Gokulam in their return fixture of the I-League tomorrow. While the Mariners are sixth on the league table with 21 points from 14 matches, Gokulam are currently ninth with just two wins in the 13 matches they've played so far. Will Bagan bounce back from their loss against East Bengal tomorrow? Here's our match preview.
How are Mohun Bagan gearing up for the fixture?
Having lost three of their last five games, Bagan are slowly losing sight of the top four. Khalid Jamil's team will try their best to get over their loss to rivals East Bengal, and will focus on taking one match at a time. The first match between Bagan and Gokulam had ended 1-1. Yuta Kinowaki, Bagan's star midfielder, will be out with an injury.
Are Gokulam Kerala ready for the challenge?
In their last five matches, Gokulam have lost four and drawn one. Antonio German and defender Fabrizio Ortiz have left Gokulam after their poor performance in the league, while Gift Raikhan has joined he club in a coaching capacity in the role of 'technical director'. Midfielder Fabien Vorbe, too, has joined Gokulam from NEROCA and will be in the team to face Mohun Bagan.
Who are the key players of the match?
Hosts Mohun Bagan will look at their Haitian talisman Sony Norde for inspiration. Dipanda Dicka and Henry Kisekka's form will also be vital for Mohun Bagan in their attempts to win the match. For Gokulam, defender Daniel Addo will be important to stop the Bagan onslaughts on their goal. They will also depend on newcomer Fabian Vorbe for control in midfield.
Predicted line-up and TV listing
Mohun Bagan: Paul, Bagui, Kingsley, Kima, Ambekar, Caldeira, Mahata, Elhusseiny, Kisekka, Norde, Dipanda. Gokulam: Das Sharma, Das, Addo, Muirang, Deepak K, Vorbe, De Castro, Singh, Mudde, Khan, Folley. The match is scheduled to kick-off at 5:00 PM, and will be telecast on the Star Sports network. It can also be live-streamed on Hotstar and Jio TV.
How can the match turn out to be?
Mohun Bagan have a high chance of winning this fixture considering they will be playing at home and Gokulam are in a rather poor form this season. Bagan have a fierce attacking line-up on paper who can get them the goals early on to build pressure on the southerners. If Gokulam don't produce a miracle tomorrow, the match could go 3-0 in Bagan's favor.
