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[caption id="attachment_12943" align="alignnone" width="580"] East Bengal players training at Central Park. Image Source: File Pic[/caption] Internet Desk: Trevor Morgan’s East Bengal is looking to break the duck when they take on Shillong Lajong FC in their first leg Quarter Final Round encouter of the Federation Cup on Sunday at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong. The only time these two sides met in the Federation Cup was in the finale 0f 2009-10 edition at Guwahati where East Bengal won in penalties. This year both teams have met twice in the I-League while East Bengal won at Barasat 4-0 on 9th February Lajong pipped the Red and Golds 1-0 in the return leg at Shillong last weekend. The Federation Cup which was rumoured to be scrapped off by AIFF was brought back this season to accommodate the mandatory Asian Football Confederation rule whereby 18 games must be played by a team in a season. This time the format for the cup has changed from a group/knockout to a knockout format of home and away matches, hence the away goal advantage will apply. East Bengal coach Trevor Morgan is aiming for a two goal winning margin without conceding any goals which will ease the pressure from the Red and Golds in their home match. Morgan was quoted as saying,"We have to be careful tomorrow. We will be trying for getting early goals and not conceding any goals. We have to be very careful on that." On asking the gaffer that his side will be fielding without a foreigner and few injury concerns, he said, " These are part and parcel of the game. i am not at all concerned about it. I am here to win. That is my aim. I will fight with whatever resources I have." Is this match a revenge match for you? The gaffer replied, " No not at all. I don't look into matches like that. This is a new  format and the matches are all knock-out matches." Shillong Lajong FC who are riding high on their win and fight back from relegation will be eager to face the Kolkatta giants in their home turf yet again after the thrilling last game of the season against the Red and Gold. The 8 time Federation Cup champions though only arrived at Shillong late Saturday evening after training in their home ground. Speaking at a press conference in the city, Shillong Lajong Head Coach Thangboi Singto said, “The good thing is that we are starting at home. The team spirit is always there in Lajong starting from first game of the season till the end. We have leadership and experience at one end, youth and talent at the other and that is the way Lajong has gone through this season. So going forward I think East Bengal has always been tough but the game we won in the last match was a bit lucky”. The Reds who triumphed over East Bengal in the last game of the I-League season plan to “keep the consistency” as the coach exclaimed that consistency was the quality they have been lacking. East Bengal on the other hand look to get a win after that disappointing end to their I-League campaign. The Red and Gold who have coach Trevor Morgan on his second spell did not manage to grant a win on his first game back to the helm but the Englishman will be looking to prepare his squad for the victory in the first game of the Federation Cup. The home team have a full squad to work with as Thangboi said that only Aibor Khongjee and Aiban Dohling are out with injuries. Penn Orji who has stepped in brilliantly as club captain in the absence of Aibor has done really well towards the end of the season. Penn said, “It is an honour and not pressure. It is an honour for me that the club has given me the responsibility.”. Lajong who has started the youngest average squad in the I-League will look to keep up with the young talents in the squad , “experience and youth combined is our strength” says the Lajong coach. Rupert Nongrum, one of the Lajong academy graduates that had managed to string together a good run of games is looking to win the home game in the tie, “as a draw is simply not enough” says the young starlet. The home side, are very much ready to face off against East Bengal in the first round of the Federation Cup and will look to keep their defence tight so as to not give away an away goal that would come in handy in the second leg of the tie.