Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], March 31 : Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) will square off against Chennaiyin FC at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 on Sunday.
The Mariners have been unbeaten in the ISL since Antonio Lopez Habas took over the reins at the start of the year. They have won four out of their last five matches and have 39 points from 18 matches to their name. They are at number two in the points table with 12 wins, three losses, and three draws.
That is two points fewer than the top-placed Mumbai City FC (41), who have played an additional game (19) as compared to Mohun Bagan Super Giant too.
Chennaiyin FC has been on a topsy-turvy ride since the season began. They have shown flashes of brilliance but it has been riddled with phases of inconsistencies, thus preventing them from challenging for the playoff spots at full throttle. The Marina Machans have lost three of their previous five games. They have accumulated 18 points from as many games, with five wins, three draws and 10 losses.
They are at a point of advantage as all of their nearest competitors, i.e., Punjab FC, Bengaluru FC, Jamshedpur FC, NorthEast United FC, and East Bengal FC, have competed in 19 matches each.
Chennaiyin FC can beat them to move higher up in the table with the one-game advantage that they possess at the moment. But, for that, they need to put up an inspired performance in the home turf of the in-form Mariners.
*Key Players to Watch Out
-Armando Sadiku (Mohun Bagan Super Giant)
The Albanian striker scored twice in Mohun Bagan Super Giant's last fixture against Kerala Blasters FC, where the former won by 4-3. He has netted seven times and assisted once in 17 appearances in ISL 2023-24.
Sadiku has managed to carve a space despite the presence of equally prolific strikers like Dimitrios Petratos and Jason Cummings. Sadiku has recorded 49 touches in the box of the opposition.
He has created seven goal-scoring opportunities, made 16 shots on target, won 29 duels, made 13 passes per game at 78 percent accuracy, and also registered 19 recoveries. His all-round efforts will be of great use for the Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the ensuing final month of the season.
-Ankit Mukherjee (Chennaiyin FC)
The fullback has made 16 appearances for Chennaiyin FC in this campaign, and played a key role in both their forward forays as well as defensive duties.
He has won 15 tackles, 25 aerial duels, 63 duels, 25 clearances, and also created 13 goal-scoring chances. Ankit Mukherjee has made 29 passes per game at 67 per cent accuracy and notched a goal as well as an assist.
He found the back of the net in their incredible 2-1 victory over Odisha FC earlier this month, and Coyle will have him central to his plans to unlock the Mohun Bagan Super Giant defence too.
-Head-to-Head
Played - 7
Mohun Bagan Super Giant - 3
Chennaiyin FC - 1
Draws - 3
Team Talk
"We will see if the break affects our form tomorrow. Nothing is more important than playing for your country. We will have two full training sessions with the complete squad and we will be fighting for three points tomorrow," Mohun Bagan Super Giant Assistant Coach Manuel Perez said in the pre-match press conference, as quoted by an ISL press release.
"Had we won the last game against Hyderabad FC, like we did against Odisha FC in the preceding one, who were the table toppers at the time, we would be sitting in the sixth position with a game in hand now. We would have been the favourites to make it to the playoff had that happened, but that is the margin of football," Chennaiyin FC Head Coach Owen Coyle said in the pre-match press conference.
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