Jay Gupta draws confidence from his international experience against Brazil and Panama as East Bengal target their first AFC Champions League Two win against Al Shorta on Tritiya, with Durga Maa’s blessings inspiring hopes of another special night at Salt Lake Stadium.
Kolkata, October 13: East Bengal FC will look to turn the page after their derby defeat and get their first win in the AFC Champions League Two when they host Iraqi side Al Shorta at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Tuesday evening. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:15 PM, with both sides arriving in Kolkata after contrasting results in their opening matches.
Al Shorta come into the contest on the back of a victory over Al Seeb, while East Bengal had to settle for a contested draw against Al Hussein after showing promising signs in their opening game. The Red and Gold Brigade will now have the home crowd behind them as they look to convert that performance into three valuable points.
However, the challenge will not be straightforward. Al Shorta have experience at this level and will be keen to continue their winning run, although injuries have affected their preparations. Three players with World Cup experience have reportedly missed the trip because of injuries, but the presence of notable goalkeeper Jalal Hassan adds experience to their squad with seven foreigners.
East Bengal, meanwhile, do not have major injury concerns heading into the fixture. There are, however, questions about match load and preparation time for some players. Anwar Ali, Jay Gupta and Edmund featured heavily in India’s recent international friendlies against Panama, Brazil and Uruguay, gaining valuable experience against international opposition but also accumulating significant minutes before returning to club duty.
Jay Gupta, though, does not believe the additional workload should be viewed as a concern. Instead, the East Bengal defender sees international football as an important step in his development and believes players need more competitive matches to maintain their level throughout the season.
Speaking ahead of the Al Shorta clash, Gupta said the experience of playing against teams like Brazil and Panama had helped him learn to manage his nerves in high-pressure situations.
He explained that the international exposure had also helped him understand the importance of maintaining confidence throughout a match, adding that he wanted more games rather than considering the recent run of fixtures an overload.
For a young player, the experience could prove particularly valuable as East Bengal prepare for a demanding run of matches. Jay also spoke about the confidence he has received from the coaching staff to explore different positions, describing it as a privilege that helps him prepare for each game.
Jay expressed
“I think firstly being able to go to the national team, it really helped me play those magnitude of matches, like against Brazil or going to Panama. I think it really helps a youngster be able to take care of his nerves during such big games. It definitely helped me understand how to keep my confidence high throughout the game.”
East Bengal have also been integrating their recent arrivals into the squad. Ake Loba and Zlownski joined only a few days ago and have had limited time to settle into the team, although both have already featured in an IFA Shield match. Their adaptation and understanding with the rest of the squad could be important as East Bengal look to find the right balance for the continental challenge.
The team completed their preparations with a full-squad training session, which included fun activities alongside the work on the pitch. Al Shorta also trained ahead of the encounter, with both teams putting the finishing touches to their preparations.
The pre-match press conference reflected the mutual respect between the two camps, with both coaches acknowledging the quality of their opponents while backing their own sides to deliver. But once the whistle blows, East Bengal will need to turn that confidence into a performance against a side that has already collected three points in the group.
For Al Shorta captain Bassam Sakhir Ahmed, the match will carry a personal significance as well. The midfielder returns to the same ground after nine years, making his appearance at the Salt Lake Stadium a notable part of the occasion.
For Jay meanwhile, Salt Lake holds some special memories. He recalled that he signed for East Bengal around Durga Puja last year and had the privilege of scoring his debut goal for the club during that period. With the festival season once again coinciding with a crucial home fixture, he is hoping for another memorable evening.
“Hopefully history repeats itself this time and, with the blessing of Durga Ma, we can get the three points,” Gupta said.
East Bengal will also be looking to respond quickly after their IFA Shield final derby defeat, with three consecutive away matches awaiting them after the Al Shorta fixture. Jay believes a strong team must know how to recover from difficult situations and insisted that East Bengal have the quality to compete with the strongest sides in their group.
While he acknowledged the need to bounce back, he also pointed to the confidence the team gained from their opening continental performance. For East Bengal, the task now is to build on those positives and secure their first victory of the campaign in front of their home supporters.
With Al Shorta arriving in winning form and East Bengal eager to respond, Tuesday’s contest offers both sides an important opportunity to strengthen their position in the group. For the Red and Gold Brigade, a win would mean more than just three points — it would be a chance to regain momentum before a challenging stretch of away fixtures.
East Bengal FC’s wall Jay Gupta before Kicking off the AFC Champions League Two at home, hopes at “Tritiya day” of the festival Durga Maa’s blessings bring another special night in East Bengal colours!
“I think most of my highs have been in Salt Lake. Last year, I think around this time only, around Durga Puja, is when I had signed with East Bengal, and I had the privilege to be able to score my debut goal. Hopefully history repeats itself this time and, with the blessing of Durga Maa, we can get the three points.”
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