![\"I-League-Pune-FC-to-take-on-Salgaocar\"](\"https:\/\/indiansportsnews.co.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/I-League-Pune-FC-to-take-on-Salgaocar.jpg\")
New Delhi: Pune FC will be hoping to be third time lucky as they take on Salgaocar FC in the opening match of the Hero I-League at Nehru Stadium in Goa on Saturday.<\/p>\nNew Delhi: Pune FC will be hoping to be third time lucky as they take on Salgaocar FC in the opening match of the Hero I-League at Nehru Stadium in Goa on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Pune FC lost to Salgaocar FC in the Durand Cup final by a solitary goal and last week surrendered their place in the Federation Cup semifinals after losing to the same opposition. As the two teams square up again, in a different competition, Pune FC coach Karim Bencherifa has reasons to believe they have plenty to look forward to.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe faced them twice and on both occasions, in terms of possession and quality football, I was happy. In terms of purely the result, we lost which is never the happy ending,\u201d said Bencherifa.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a new team in terms of the squad; half of the players in the first eleven are into their first season at the club but we will continue to play like we always did,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Bencherifa arrived in Goa with just two foreign players \u2014 Luciano Sobroza and Ryuji Sueoka \u2014 and he will miss the services of three regular players. But the Moroccan coach believes whoever takes the field will be up for the challenge.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhoever is available now is in top form and will be looking forward to play the first game. Just like all tournaments, it\u2019s important to start well. That will be our approach against Salgaocar,\u201d said Bencherifa.<\/p>\n
Salgaocar may have won their last two battles against Pune FC this season but they will have plenty of concerns going into the I-League opener. Goalkeeper Karanjit Singh has already been ruled, Scottish striker Darryl Duffy is nursing an injury and Dawson Fernandes is out for the season, leaving Derrick with a major headache.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always maintain that previous results have no relevance to the next game. On our part, we want to maintain the same form and focus that we showed earlier in the season,\u201d said Derrick.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have lost both of our strikers to injuries and there will be changes to the playing eleven. This will provide a wonderful opportunity to the youngsters to step up. We have to work with whatever we have at the moment,\u201d said the Salgaocar coach.<\/p>\n
Salgaocar have been in fine form this season winning the Goa Pro League with an unbeaten record and then claiming the Rovers Cup, played for the first time in Goa.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
New Delhi: Pune FC will be hoping to be third time lucky as they take on Salgaocar FC in the opening match of the Hero I-League at Nehru Stadium in Goa on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Pune FC lost to Salgaocar FC in the Durand Cup final by a solitary goal and last week surrendered their place in the Federation Cup semifinals after losing to the same opposition. As the two teams square up again, in a different competition, Pune FC coach Karim Bencherifa has reasons to believe they have plenty to look forward to.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe faced them twice and on both occasions, in terms of possession and quality football, I was happy. In terms of purely the result, we lost which is never the happy ending,\u201d said Bencherifa.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21168,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[82],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21169","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-football-football"],"yoast_head":"\n