Chandigarh, December 18 : Four matches into the 2017-18 I-League season and Minerva Punjab FC has set the domestic football league alight, making everyone stand up and taken notice. Minerva are on top of the points table, pushing big teams like Mohun Bagan and East Bengal below them.
In their second season, Minerva’s fairytale run is incredible as the team was on the brink of relegation in their debut season.
Like Aizawl FC, who had sprung a surprise last year by winning the league, Minerva has been the surprise package this season. They have registered three wins so far in four matches, and that too with virtually unknown names. The other match was a draw and Minerva has 10 points in its kitty, two more than former champions Mohun Bagan.
Every match day sceptics wait for the Minerva team to trip, only to be left disappointed. The team has been unbeaten so far and is playing a brand of football that is attacking and sublime. The packed stands, even on weekdays at the Guru Nanak Stadium, Ludhiana (Minerva’s home ground), bear testimony to the appeal Team Minerva has managed to gain among its local fans.
The team will now face Indian Arrows, the developmental team of All India Football Federation, on Monday at the Guru Nanak Stadium, which Minerva players have made into a fortress.
The two teams will be facing each other for a second time in less than two weeks. Thanks to a brace from William Opoku, Minerva had secured a comfortable victory over the Arrows in the first leg in Bambolim, Goa on December 5. Opoku is also leading goal-scorer in the league with three goals in four matches.
Speaking to TOI about the upcoming match against Arrows, Khogen Singh, the coach of Minerva, said, “We are taking one match at a time and will give our 100 percent in every game. We want to add three valuable points to our tally.”
The season has shown a never-say-die spirit among the Minerva players. The team comprises of players who are young and want to prove their mettle at the biggest stage.
“We have a very young side, as you can see most of them are in their early twenties and they have a never-say-die attitude which I really admire,” the coach reflected. “The morale of the team is high but we are not over confident. We need to be on top of our game against the Arrows to maintain our position at the top,” he added.
Kassim Aidara, captain of the Minerva, also considers the Arrows to be a dangerous side. “Last time when we faced them, they looked dangerous while mounting counter-attacks. We were lucky that they had very few shots on target. We cannot afford to give them space in the box this time around,” he said.
“I feel they have given a good account of themselves in the tournament so far. We will try to not make mistakes and win the match. We are going to bring our A game and make sure our fortress isn’t breached,” the skipper added.
The Mohali-based club kicked off the season by splitting points with Mohun Bagan after a 1-1 draw at the Guru Nanak Stadium. Sony Norde’s first-half goal was not enough for Bagan to snuff out the spirited Minerva team. In the second half, Minerva got the equaliser in the dying moments of the game to claim a valuable point. Bagan are considered by many experts as favourites for the title this season.
Next were newcomers Neroca FC; and once again, Minerva fought their way back into the game after going a goal down early in the first half. They final managed to secure a 2-1 victory.
Their third game was a 2-0 win over the Arrows. And, in the fourth match, they once again registered a come-from-behind 2-1 victory against Chennai City.
Source Times Of India
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