Sukhwinder Singh expects tough battle against EB

JCT coach Sukhwinder Singh says it will be an altogether different ball game when they clash against hosts East Bengal in their third round I-League encounter in Kolkata on Sunday.

JCT have made a good start to the tournament by winning their first two matches but Singh feels that they are in for some hard work in Sunday's match against local giants a the Yuba Bharati Krirangan.

"We might have won both our matches (against Shillong Lajong and Mohun Bagan) to lead the stack but there is not much of a difference between the two sides.

"We have to be watchful against East Bengal. We can win, draw or even go down, but we have to accept it. The conditions will be tough," added the coach.

The young JCT side will again look to hat-trick hero Baljit Singh Sahni to combine well with Nigerian Penn in the front.

The only I-League club from the North, JCT's weak link is their defence which is struggling since the exit of Anwar Ali.

It will be interesting to see whether East Bengal can script a comeback especially after their abysmal pre-season performances in the IFA Shield and Durand Cup where they had crashed out in the first round.

Coach Subhas Bhowmick's trump card would be their Ghanaian striker Yusif Yakubu who played superbly in last match against Mahindra United.

Yakubu scored in his appearance in the second session of that match, but only to see the team go down 2-3.

In their first match, East Bengal managed a goalless draw against a spirited I-League debutants Pune FC.

But those two were away matches for East Bengal and Bhowmick's boys will look to cash in on the home advantage.

"We have not been scoring, which remains a concern for us and we have to rectify that. JCT have an intelligent coach in Sukhwinder Singh and it will be a good contest," said

Bhowmick.

East Bengal have a few injury problems with Bhutia struggling with a niggle and Alvito Da Cunha down with an injury picked up during the last match against Mahindra.