After two emphatic 'home' victories, title challengers Vasco travel out of their port town in Goa to play a do-or-die match in Kolkata against league leaders East Bengal, in the 21st round of the National Football League, on Friday.
The Arlem-sponsored side, who trailed East Bengal by 12 points at the end of the 17th round, reduced the deficit to half after the next three rounds. Now, all the Goan outfit needs is a victory on Friday to stay in the race. Defeat would ensure the Kolkatans the title.
At the end of the 20th round, East Bengal are sitting pretty with 46 points, six points ahead of Vasco. Which means, a draw on Friday at the Salt Lake stadium would clinch the red-yellow brigade the coveted championship for the second time after a year's gap.
East Bengal have won 14 matches, drawn four, lost two, and have 40 goals for and 20 against in garnering 46 points, while Vasco have won 10, drawn seven, lost two, and scored 38 goals and conceded 16, while collecting 40 points.
In the first leg match, on December 19, Vasco failed to capitalise on 'home' advantage and were forced to rally to hold East Bengal 1-1, with Marcos Pereira scoring in the 73rd minute to neutralise a 32nd minute lead Alvito D'Cunha had given the Kolkata side.
Friday's encounter is a matter of prestige for the soccer crazy fans of both Goa and Kolkata. The Kolkatans feel that beating Vasco and winning the title will only confirm East Bengal's supremacy in the league while the Goans are hoping Vasco can bag the scalp of East Bengal, like JCT and Mahindra United had, and go on to win the title.
East Bengal coach Subash Bhomick knows well enough that defeat on home ground will seriously jeopardise his team's title hopes as it has to travel to Goa to play former champions Salgaocar, another Goan giant, in their last match on April 28.
In the event of winning Friday's match, Vasco will also have to beat Mahindra United in Mumbai in their last fixture and hope that East Bengal lose to Salgaocar to emerge triumphant.
In their last two outings, Vasco had displayed marvellous team spirit, drubbing HAL by eight goals to nil and ITI, by five to nothing. If they can maintain the same momentum, there is no reason why they can't put it across the 2000-01 champions.
Friday's match is also being seen as the season's most important fixture for the Indian Football Association, who, expecting a good turnout at the 1.2-lakh-capacity stadium, are making strong security arrangements to ensure the match passes off without any crowd trouble.
The crucial match will be officiated by two FIFA referees from Thailand, Rungklay Mongkol and Hanlumyaung Panya.
According to AIFF secretary Alberto Colaco, the names of these experienced FIFA referees have been approved by the Asian Football Confederation. If required the above referees will also officiate in the 22nd round matches to be played at Goa and Mumbai, he said.
