East Bengal FC aim to register double over Jamshedpur FC

East Bengal FC would be looking to take confidence from their 3-1 victory against Jamshedpur FC in the first leg of the ongoing Hero Indian Super League. The two teams will lock horns with each other in EBFC’s first home game of 2023 on Friday at Kolkata’s Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan.

The loss in the last game against Odisha FC was a tough pill to swallow for the Red & Gold brigade. Stephen Constantine’s team was ahead at one point, but they ended up conceding 3 goals. The Kolkata giants need to bag as many wins as possible in their quest for a top 6 spot as they approach the business end of the tournament.

Jamshedpur FC, meanwhile, have been winless since October 30. Aidy Boothroyd’s men currently occupy the 10th position in the league table with 6 points from 13 games (1 win, 3 draws and 9 defeats).

Brazilian forward Cleiton Silva is on the verge of making his 50th Hero ISL appearance. The EBFC captain has been in terrific form in the current Hero ISL season and is the joint-leading scorer with 8 goals, along with Jorge Pereyra Diaz and Petar Sliskovic. The last time the Red & Golds faced the Men of Steel, Cleiton netted a brace. In fact, he has scored 8 of his side’s 14 goals so far.

As far as the head-to-head record is concerned, EBFC enjoy an upper hand over their Jamshedpur counterparts. In the 5 matches the two teams so far, the Red & Gold brigade have won twice, drawn twice and lost only once.

Speaking to the media on the eve of the match, EBFC Head Coach Stephen Constantine said, “We don’t go into games with the intent of losing or making mistakes. We try to win every game. We’ll do that till the end of the season. This is our job. This is what feeds our families.”

Cypriot international Charalambos Kyriacou, who has recovered from 2 injuries this season, said, “It’s a long season and it will be a miracle to avoid injuries. The injuries were not my fault. They happened due to collisions. After an injury, you need to work twice as hard. The support staff, our physios and doctor have helped me recover in time. Being a versatile player is good because you can help the team in various positions.”