![\"PFC-2\"](\"https:\/\/indiansportsnews.co.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/PFC-2.jpg\")
Pune FC will be eager to end their campaign on a high when they host Dempo SC in an I-League Round-26 encounter at the Shree Shivchhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune on Monday.<\/p>\nPune FC will be eager to end their campaign on a high when they host Dempo SC in an I-League Round-26 encounter at the Shree Shivchhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune on Monday.<\/p>\n
The final game of the season will be a crucial one for seventh-placed Pune FC (29 pts) as a win against sixth-placed Dempo SC (32 pts) will see them move up one place and maintain the club\u2019s history of finishing in the top half of the table.<\/p>\n
Having dominated head-to-head against the five-time league champions in the past, Pune FC will look up to the prevailing record (6W \u2013 2L \u2013 3D) and hope to maintain it.<\/p>\n
Going into the game on the back of a historic 2-0 win over Hong Kong champions Kitchee SC, also the club\u2019s first-ever continental win, Pune FC will be confident and motivated for a similar performance against the Goans.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, with influential players Douhou Pierre and Calum Angus back into the squad, Coach Mike Snoei expects his side to put on a show.<\/p>\n
Speaking after a pre-match session, Coach Snoei explained, \u201cIt is a do or die battle for us as we push to finish in the top half of the league table and maintain the club legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe result (2-0 win against Kitchee) was a confidence-booster, but we need to follow up the historic feat with a similar result. This is something I\u2019ve constantly been reminding the players all week long,\u201d added the Dutchman.<\/p>\n
Visitors Dempo SC come into the game on the back of a 2-4 home loss to champions Bengaluru FC in the last week and a 1-1 draw against Mumbai FC early in April. On the other hand, Pune FC who were involved in a hectic schedule will be playing their seventh game in April.<\/p>\n
Since the league resumed in February, Dempo SC have played a total of nine games out of which eight were at home. Moreover, the only \u2018away\u2019 game they played was against Churchill Brothers in Goa making the clash against Pune FC their first real away game in three months, something the hosts will hope to capitalise on.<\/p>\n
With Roberto Mendes da Silva \u2018Beto\u2019 missing out, Dempo SC will be banking heavily on January recruit Tolgay Ozbey. The Australian striker has been in great form since switching loyalties from Mohammedan SC to Dempo and has netted eight times in seven league games.<\/p>\n
Dempo\u2019s backline will be marshalled by Australian Simon Colosimo and Afghan international Haroon Amiri, posing a massive challenge for the Pune FC strike-force led by Mirjan Pavlovic and Riga Mustapha.<\/p>\n
Over the years, both sides have faced each other eleven times with Pune FC boasting six wins against Dempo\u2019s two. Additionally, in four games at the Balewadi Stadium, Pune FC have logged two wins compared to Dempo\u2019s single win two years back.<\/p>\n
The match kicks off at 6.30 pm on Monday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Pune FC will be eager to end their campaign on a high when they host Dempo SC in an I-League Round-26 encounter at the Shree Shivchhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune on Monday.<\/p>\n
The final game of the season will be a crucial one for seventh-placed Pune FC (29 pts) as a win against sixth-placed Dempo SC (32 pts) will see them move up one place and maintain the club\u2019s history of finishing in the top half of the table.<\/p>\n
Having dominated head-to-head against the five-time league champions in the past, Pune FC will look up to the prevailing record (6W \u2013 2L \u2013 3D) and hope to maintain it.<\/p>\n
Going into the game on the back of a historic 2-0 win over Hong Kong champions Kitchee SC, also the club\u2019s first-ever continental win, Pune FC will be confident and motivated for a similar performance against the Goans.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, with influential players Douhou Pierre and Calum Angus back into the squad, Coach Mike Snoei expects his side to put on a show.<\/p>\n
Speaking after a pre-match session, Coach Snoei explained, \u201cIt is a do or die battle for us as we push to finish in the top half of the league table and maintain the club legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19039,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[82],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-football-football"],"yoast_head":"\n