Kalyani, (Asian independent) After slipping to their first defeat of the I-League season in their last match where they lost 2-0 to RoundGlass Punjab FC, Tiddim Road Union Athletic (TRAU FC) would be gunning to get back to winning ways, when the Nandakumar-coached side faces a tough challenge in the form of Aizawl FC at the Kalyani Municipal Stadium on Tuesday.
After a good start to the season that saw TRAU FC match step for step with the likes of Churchill Brothers and Real Kashmir FC at the top of the table, the Manipur-based club tasted defeat in their last match, pushing them down to seventh on the table. Although just a point adrift of fifth-placed Aizawl FC, TRAU will aim for maximum points to put them back into the leading pack.
Speaking at the official pre-match press conference, their head coach Nandakumar said, “We could not convert our chances in the last match and we had misunderstandings within our defence. We lost the ball too quickly and we have identified and even rectified these mistakes.
“We will go for a positive result tomorrow and hope to get back in the top half of the table. Aizawl FC are a very good team and they are very difficult to beat. It will be a tough game tomorrow for us, but for the neutrals, it will be a very enjoyable game to watch. Tomorrow, we need to play together as a team and the strikers need to pass the ball more within themselves. We have to convert as many chances we get,” he added.
Brazilian defender Helder Lobato said, “We believe in the ability and the potential of our team. However, sometimes there is a lapse in concentration but this team will play better in the next game, as compared to the last. It is a step-by-step progress of the players and we are ready to go tomorrow.”