Almost empty stands await ATK, Pune City

 

Arata Izumi of Atletico de Kolkata celebrates with a teammate.

Defending champions Atletico de Kolkata are currently placed at the top of the standings with seven points from three games

After playing generous host to the legendary Pele in its first home match at the Salt Lake, the winner of the title in the inaugural Indian Super League, Atletico de Kolkata, has travelled to an area of the country where interest for the beautiful game of football is palpably diminishing. 

The local authorities announced attendance of a little over 8000 each at the Balewadi sports complex for the matches against Mumbai City FC, NEUFC and Delhi Dynamos, which is a far cry from the 60,000 plus that turned up for the defending champion’s first home match. 

This is not great news that will cheer up the home and visiting teams, but nonetheless they would be keen and eager to play their part in 90 plus minutes of play with the main objective of winning the match. 

The Antonio Lopez Habas-coached ATK is on top of the table with seven points and more importantly it has not been beaten. It opened the tournament with a 3-2 win against Chennaiyin FC, drew 1-1 against Goa FC and put it across Kerala Blasters 2-1 in the home match. 

The team, which practised in Kolkata on Friday morning, will have defender Rino Anto — bought at Rs. 90 lakh — available for selection. 

The home team coach, David Platt, taking into account the hot and humid conditions, has rotated the players so far and he’s expected to do the same in the fourth straight match on home soil. He did not appear to be too disturbed by the 2-1 loss to Delhi Dynamos. 

“Strangely enough, I am more pleased with the performance (against Dynamos) than with our previous two games. I think when you go a goal behind, you quickly run out of time to get back into the game since teams defend deep and they limit the options to score,” he said. 

“So the disappointing thing is that a goal was given by a set-piece, by a free header at the back post and the goal wasn’t created against us. People say if we hadn’t conceded, we would have levelled things but I think the same goes for Delhi too,” Platt said after the match against Roberto Carlos’s side. 

The former England midfielder is likely to make optimum use of Jackichand Singh and Eugeneson Lyngdoh, both of whom have returned from the World Cup qualifier match against Oman and even played against the Dynamos. 

There will be opportunities for Bikash Jairu and Pritam Kotal also.