Dhangadhi FC Vs Kathmandu Rayzrs FC:Nail-biter in the offing

Dhangadi FC and Kathmandu Rayzrs FC  will  battle it out for the Nepal Super League title at Dashrath stadium Saturday.

Unsurprisingly Kathmandu Rayzrs FC outclassed a tired and jaded Lalitpur City FC in a dull and drab affair to earn a place in the final.

The two sides face each other for the third time in the competition. Having  beaten Kathmandu Rayzrs FC two times, Dhangadi FC have given themselves a psychological edge over the opposition.

Whether Dhangadi FC  completes a whitewash or third time’s the charm  for  Kathmandu Rayzrs,time will tell. Call it a  nail-biter or cliff- hanger is in the offing. 

With four days of quality rest,Dhangadi FC  will go into the final, fresh ,fitter and ready to face Kathmandu Rayzrs FC.

Dhangadhi FC must play free-flowing, attacking football throughout the match to put the opponent under constant pressure  and on the back foot.

They have to maintain a high degree of intensity,consistency,pace and aggression  in their performance.

The offense revolved around Oladipo Olawale Afeez. Nishan Limbu,Darshan Gurung and Tanka Basnet needs to be more drilled, cohesive, structured in their  approach.

They have to be in a position to create spaces to build up attacks, goal scoring and counter attack opportunities. Even more importantly, they will need  a strong finish. 

I reckon  ace striker Afeez is  fully match fit and ready to go full blast. If so,he has  to reproduce the best  form for his team.

As always,midfielders will have a big say in shaping the game outcome .Experienced  Bishal Rai alongside Pujan Uperkoti,Soujan Rai, Rupesh KC and Nishan Khadkha have to  be at their best to take control  of midfield play.

They must perform intelligently, combining  tactical and positional approaches.They have to show more  creativity and variance in their performance as well.

Given the opponent’s offensive strengths, the defense is under pressure to perform well. So far their performance has been satisfactory.

Franklin K Talla, Pujan Uperkoti,Ashok  Khawas and Dinesh Rabanshi have to put together  a complete tactical performance and cannot afford to  make unforced errors.

They  have to keep the dangerous  attacking midfielder Messouke Oloumou, the highest goal scorer of the tournament in check.

His speed, size, muscle and scoring prowess poses a serious threat to Dhangadi FC. Also they have to keep  an eye on  Stephen Binong, a powerful center forward playing alongside Oloumou.

Head Coach Yugal Kishor Rai has  given a good account of himself.He has been successful in terms of strategies, tactics, game plan and team selection.

Having made short  work of Lalitpur City FC, Kathmandu Rayzrs FC are fired up,pumped up and ready for the decisive showdown.They will look to keep their momentum going in the right direction.

They get another shot at Dhangadi FC to avenge their two defeats.To get the job done,they must dig deep, stay focused,give a hundred percent and play like it means business.They have to improve on corner kicks  and set pieces, which have not been up to the mark.

Kathmandu Rayzrs FC are in the final  largely due to offensive strength.The attacking combination of Messouke, Stephen and Ashish Rai have  been impressive and served the team well.

Against  a well composed Dhangadi FC defense, they have to  be more  thrustful,organized and clinical in finish .

 

Without playmaker Sanjok Rai, Head  Coach Bal Gopal Maharjan succeeded in his 4-2-3-1 formation against Lalitpur City FC.

I am not sure if the coach sticks with the  same game plan and the winning combination. The pairing of Sudil Rai,Rajan Gurung and Tej Tamang stood out and lived up to expectations.

However, they must improve their  sense of football, reflex, agility and distribution in tight situations.They have to be more productive and effective when it comes to supporting both defense and offense. 

If I am in his shoes a player of Sanjok Rai quality  starts in my playing eleven. No one  should dispute the fact that he has become a big part of his team’s offense.

The defense manned  by Florent Koara, Tshering Gurung,Bishwash Shrestha and Ashish Gurung have  to defend with lots of  tenacity,determination, deft and confidence.

They cannot let Dhangadhi FC’s  pacey, tricky  and physically strong striker Afeez have his way. Else,it can cost them the match.

There is no room for chinks in the defense in such an important match.Getting the defensive approach and stance is essential.

Interestingly,Nepal’s  top two outstanding custodians Kiran Kumar Limbu and  Bikesh Kuthu  are skippering Dhangadhi FC and Kathmandu Rayzrs FC respectively.

In a delicately poised match,the team that plays to their strengths and exploits opponent weaknesses the most, wins. I still give a slight edge to Dhangadi FC over Kathmandu Rayzrs FC