I-League champions Dempo SC have been unimpressive even disinterested,to an extent in their title defence this season,but the proceedings inside the floodlit Sharjah stadium on Wednesday will be of special interest as the Goans take on Al Sharjah for an AFC Champions League spot. Ten points adrift of leaders Sporting Clube de Goa in the I-League,Dempo,on form,dont have much to boast of. But coach Armando Colaco uses the teams better overseas record two wins and a draw in their last five matches to his defence. His on-field line of defence,however,will be a retarded force with broken fingers,pulled hamstrings and twisted joints. We are going to miss (Mboyo) Iyomi (groin strain),Dominic Noronha (twisted knee) and Joachim Abranches (thigh strain) tomorrow. But Ive to be content with what I have, coach Colaco told The Indian Express from Sharjah. Striker Ranty Martins,too, has been out of form. I dont know how Martins will wake up tomorrow and find his touch that has been missing for long. We need to work with our combinations. Ive some plans with Beto and Anthony Pereira in absence of Abranches, Colaco added. Al Sharjahs show seventh spot in the UAE premier league with fifteen points from 13 matches brings solace to Colaco and his boys,but the hosts know their Indian rivals well. We had sent two coaches to India to watch a couple of Dempos matches in the I-League to make sure we follow them before we play them.We are well-prepared,but you can never say in football, Al Sharjah CEO Ibrahim Hassan said. The hosts will be under new coach Tony Oliviera of Portugal after Tunisias Yousuf Zawabi was sacked.
