Kathmandu, February 20:

Nabil Three Star Club (TSC) will have to overcome every odds to defend their title when they clash with Manang Marsyangdi Club (MMC) in the grand finale of the Martrys’ Memorial San Miguel ‘A’ Division League at Dasharath Stadium on Tuesday.

Three Star are two points behind MMC, who leads the standings with 65 points, and is in the must-win situation to win the championship. On contrary, MMC jut needs a draw to claim their sixth title. The league was in a similar mode last year that was decided in the last game with Three Star winning the championship playing a goalless draw with Mahendra Police Club. Three Star had finished unbeaten then.

Psychologically, Three Star would be much in pressure to cast aside the jinx for not being able to beat MMC in these to team’s last seven meetings in the league so far. In their first leg match this year, they played a goalless draw.

MMC coach Chhiring Lopsang Gurung said that they would not play for a draw. “I look forward to a convincing win against Three Star,” Gurung said. He said that he had already directed his players to win the match with at least two-goal margin.

MMC’s performance was on the decline after its star striker Basanta Thapa left for Japan but after bringing in foreign-based players, their performance dramatically soared up.

However, backbone of MMC revival, Felix Chimaokwu, will miss the crucial match for double bookings that could disrupt the balance of the team. Gurung said that his presence would have made the team stronger. “But that doesn’t mean we have become weaker,” Gurung said. MMC still have Nurudeen Olawale Salau along with two other Africans to replace his strength apart from.

“We don’t have any injury problem and are confident to win,” he said, adding that Basanta Gauchan was fit for the final game. He said that defenders, midfielders and strikers are in good form at the moment. “Our midfield, which has been the steering force for long, has somewhat declined but is satisfactory” he added.

Three Star is set to field its regular players along a new Nigerian striker Henry Jerom for the match. Technical director of Three Star Kumar Katuwal said that he will undergo a brief training before the match.

Strikers had been letting down Three Star lately and they are hoping Henry to remedy the weakness. Another African Cristian Chideberi is in doubt due to injury, while Pralay Pralay is undergoing treatment and is expected to play the crucial game.

MMC have won five league championship in 1987, 1988, 1990, 2001 and 2004 while Three Star have won twice in 1998 and 2005.