In a crucial Indian Super League (ISL) 2021-22 mid-table fixture, two-time champions Chennaiyin FC face holders Mumbai City FC in Margao on Sunday. Both the teams have 19 points with five wins each, but Mumbai have a game in hand, having played only 13 this season. (More Football News)
Chennaiyin, winners in 2015 and 2018, threw away a two-goal advantage against struggling East Bengal in their last outing, settling for a point and missing on a chance to board the top-four bus. They have won once, against NorthEast United, in their last five outings and are seventh in the points table after 14 games. A win will be Chennaiyin's 50th in the league.
Mumbai City are on the same boat, enduring a seven-game winless run and they are one rung above Chennaiyin. But they will enter the match knowing well enough that a win will complete a league double over Chennaiyin and ease the pressure. In the first leg, Rahul Bheke scored the all-important goal from an Ahmed Jahouh assist minutes before the final whistle.
But the focus will be on the Mizo midfielder Lallianzuala Chhangte who joined Mumbai from Chennaiyin in the mid-season transfer last month on loan. He made 53 appearances for Chennaiyin over the years, scoring 12 goals.
Head-to-head
In the 15 previous ISL meetings, both sides have won six matches each. Chennaiyin have won the first four meetings, but Mumbai are unbeaten in the last three matches, winning two of those.
Match and telecast details
Match: 83rd match of Indian Super League 2021-22 between Chennaiyin FC and Mumbai City FC
Date: February 6 (Sunday), 2022
Time: Kick-off at 7:30 PM IST
Venue: PJN Stadium, Fatorda, Goa
TV Channels: Star Sports 1/HD, Star Sports 3, Star Sports 1 Bangla
Live Streaming: Disney+ Hotstar, JioTV
Coaches Speak
Bozidar Bandovic (Chennaiyin): "We need to keep our full concentration in the defensive set-piece. We need to mark well. Now we play against one of the best teams. They have strong players. We need to be focused and try to dominate the game.
Des Buckingham (Mumbai City): "The way we have played in the last few games, I am very happy. We have got seven games now and starting tomorrow, the aim will be to get back to winning ways."
Squads
Chennaiyin FC: GK - Vishal Kaith, Debjit Majumder, Samik Mitra, Devansh Dabas; DF - Reagan Keisham, Mohammad Sajid Dhot, Ranjan Salam, Edwin Sydney Vanspaul, Jerry Lalrinzuala, Narayan Das, Slavko Damjanovic, Deepak Devrani, Davinder Singh, Aqib Nawab, Balaji Ganesan, Rahul Manjula; MF - Khumanthem Ninthoi Meitei, Anirudh Thapa (captain), Ariel Borysiuk, Germanpreet Singh, Subhadip Majhi, Vladimir Koman; FW - Rahim Ali, Mirlan Murzaev, Jobby Justin, Suhail Pasha, Mohamed Liyaakath, Johnson Mathews, Lukasz Gikiewicz, Nerijus Valskis.
Mumbai City: GK - Phurba Lachenpa, Mohammad Nawaz, Ravi Kumar (on loan from Odisha), Vikram Lakhbir Singh; DF - Rahul Bheke, Amey Ranawade, Mehtab Singh, Mohammad Rakip, Vignesh Dakshinamurthy, Mourtada Fall (captain), Valpuia, Mandar Rao Dessai; MF - Cassio Gabriel, Brad Inman, Ahmed Jahouh, Raynier Fernandes, Rowllin Borges, Vinit Rai, Naorem Tondomba, Chanso Horam, Asif Khan, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Lalengmawia; FW - Vikram Pratap Singh, Gurkirat Singh, Igor Angulo, Pranjal Bhumij, Bipin Thounaojam, Diego Mauricio.
