New Delhi [India], November 22 : The Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 action is returning from international break with an encounter between two teams whose charts are on the upward trajectory - with Punjab FC and NorthEast United FC locking horns at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday.
Both these teams had narrowly missed out on qualifying for the playoffs last year, with the Highlanders finishing seventh and Punjab FC trailing them at eighth. However, they have turned a new chapter this time around - starting the season on a strong footing, with NorthEast United FC positioned third with 12 points thanks to three wins and as many draws from eight games.
Punjab FC, on the other hand, have secured four victories in six clashes and claim the sixth spot in the standings. They hope to brush aside any rustiness after the two-week-long break and rejuvenate the campaign with similar vigour and vehemence come Saturday.
Punjab FC hold an unbeaten record over NorthEast United FC, winning and drawing once in their two matches against them. They had notched a 1-0 triumph over the Highlanders in their most recent fixture. A clean sheet in this match will see the Highlanders become only the second team after Hyderabad FC against whom Punjab FC went back-to-back games without conceding a goal.
On the other hand, NorthEast United FC stand at an unprecedented stage right now, since they have netted multiple goals in each of their previous three ISL matches. However, they have never scored 2+ strikes in four straight-away encounters in the competition's history - something that they can achieve tomorrow if their frontline comes to the fore perfectly tomorrow.
Punjab FC head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis expressed that his team is going into the match with significant preparation and added that they have all the players ready and fit for the game.
"We know how we should work and we have done it in the previous days with a lot of concentration and focus to adjust ourselves to the demands of the next game. We have managed. We have all the players ready for this match," Dilmperis said, according to ISL release.
NorthEast United FC head coach Juan Pedro Benali said that his team is getting used to overcoming difficult situations and mentioned that they aim to maintain control over large chunks of the game.
"We are learning. We are getting used to winning points from difficult situations. We hope that we don't stop at the 65-70 minute mark, which is why we have scored so many goals late into the game. A football match is a collection of a lot of small games and we need to control most of them," Benali said.
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