Raia: I-League football side Pune FC will be eyeing to create history when they face Salgaocar SC in their maiden appearance in the final of the 127th Durand Cup at the Raia Sports Complex on Saturday.
Having secured three consecutive wins in the tournament, Pune FC will be high on morale and keen to stretch that run and clinch the oldest club trophy in Asian football.
Interestingly, all of Pune FC's wins in the competition have been against Goan opponents, having defeated Churchill Brothers, Vasco SC and Sporting Clube de Goa.
The clash also brings two experienced coaches - Karim Bencherifa (Pune FC) and Derrick Pereira (Salgaocar FC) - face-to-face against teams they have previously managed.
Fatigue may be a crucial factor for Pune, who will play their third game in five days, but those concerns were swiftly dismissed by Bencherifa.
"We worked very hard in the pre-season and that is paying off now. Despite having just one day between games at this stage, the players are coping with that very well," Bencherifa said after presiding over a practice session on Friday.
"I feel that Pune FC is a team that deserves to have a trophy. It won't be easy but if we can win the Durand Cup, it will set us on a right path as a club," he added.
Defender Raju Yumnam will boost Pune after serving a one game suspension, but Bencherifa have a few minor niggles to take note of before naming his first 11 for the final.
Salgaocar come into the final after overcoming Bengaluru FC in a penalty shootout in the semi-finals and will bank on the advantage of being the home side, depending heavily on the attacking duo of Ivorian Douhou Pierre and Scottish Darryl Duffy to fire them ahead.
This will be the two team's first meeting in the tournament despite regularly clashing in the I-League and the Federation Cup.
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