Lalitpur City vs FC Chitwan: Intriguing matchup

Lalitpur City FC ‘s start to the National Super League did not go the way they wanted as they went down to Kathmandu Rayzrs  F C by a solitary goal in the opener held at Dasharath stadium in Kathmandu.

They play FC Chitwan in the second match Monday  to keep their hopes alive in the competition. It is obvious that they cannot afford another defeat. 

Head coach Pradip Humagain  is aware of his team’s situation.I know it is weighing on his mind.He has to find a way to turn things around. 

Coach Humagain needs to employ a no nonsense approach  and develop a strategy to address the challenge.

He has to keep players motivated and help them overcome the defeat constructively.He will agree that the offense lacked sharpness, coordination and good finish.That is something to keep an eye on,

International  Anjan Bista in the role of an attacking midfielder worked  tirelessly.However, the others failed to provide him with the support  he needed in midfield.

Upcoming  midfielders Arik Bista and Shishir Lekhi and talented striker Binod Gurung must put their skills and abilities  to good use.

We saw patches of brilliance from foreign recruits Ajerbaijani  Nurlam Novruzov and Croatian Vilim Posinkovic.They will have to step up their game to make an impact.

The defense in the hands of Mikchen Tamang and Kamal Shrestha must perform consistently and show more confidence, pace and agility.

Overall they have to put up an improved performance to avoid another upset.

On the other hand, FC Chitwan playing their first match are no pushover by any means.They have a highly experienced and tactically sound head coach in Meghraj KC who is capable of stirring the team to victory.

Whether he is able to make the players play for him or not is yet to be seen. He has a talent packed side with marquee player and striker of the national team Bharat Khawas leading the charge.

On paper the offense consisting of Bharat  Khawas, Rajiv Lopchan, French- Serbian Goran  Jerkovic and Egyptian  Ahmed M Gaballa looks impressive and  menacing .

Their  effectiveness will largely depend on their combination, individual brilliance,understanding and ability to cash in on scoring chances.

Veteran Tek Budhathoki ,international Manish Thapa  alongside Egyptian El Sayed Shaaban  contribution  in midfield will be crucial in the team’s performance and success ultimately.

They must play intelligent,consistent football and apply extra effort to  dominate midfield play and solidify both offense and defense.

The defensive responsibilities rest on three experienced capped trio of Bikash  Khawas, Bikash Tamang and Amit Tamang. 

 

As they are the backbone of the team, there is no room for error performance wise. They have to come up with a solid performance be it tackling or intercepting or defending aerial balls/ corners/ set pieces or  reading the situation or man - to-man marking or body use.

Lalitpur City FC  goes into the match with a slight edge over FC Chitwan, however, the latter  does have the potential to turn the tables on the opponents.