ISL Match Preview: Mumbai City FC vs NorthEast United

by Siddharth Yadav October 28, 2015

Mumbai City FC are all set to make it three wins in a row at their fortress Dr D.Y Patil Stadium in the HERO Indian Super League, against a NorthEast side, who are also on a winning run. Both of them started their campaign on an unsatisfactory note but now both are back with a bang with back-to-back wins and the contest at the DY Patil Stadium on Wednesday promises to be a cracker.

While Mumbai broke Delhi Dynamos FC’s three-match winning streak before humbling table-toppers FC Goa, NorthEast United FC got the better of Chennaiyin FC and defending champions Atletico de Kolkata.

Mumbai City FC’s Sunil Chhetri has been on a driving seat as he has scored three goals in his last two matches and it surely won’t be a surprise if the Indian International will left his mark earlier in the match.

NorthEast United’s Nicolas Velez who has been on fantastic goal scoring run for the Highlanders needs to step up for his side in order to overcome in form Mumbai City FC. The Argentinian has scored twice in his last two matches against Chennaiyin FC and defending champions Atletico de Kolkata.

Team News

Mumbai City FC’s manager-player Nicolas Anelka will most probably avoid any changes that helped defeating FC Goa 2-0 on Sunday.

In a 4-2-3-1, Frederic Piquionne will start upfront with Sonny Norde, Sunil Chhetri and Gabriel Fernandes supporting and providing service to him.

In a two man midfield, Bustos and one of Pratesh Shirodkar or Aguilera will be started just ahead of the defense.

Lalchhuanmawia Fanai, O’Dea, Pavel C’Movs and Ashtutosh Mehta are the most likely players who will start at the back.

Mumbai City FC: Subrata Paul, Ashutosh Mehta, C’Movs, O’Dea, Fanai, Bustos, Aguilera, Gabirel Fernandes, Sonny Norde, Sunil Chhetri and Frederic Piquionne.

The visitors is boosted by the arrival of their marquee player Simao Sabrosa, who was substituted in the 74th minute of their match against Chennaiyin and later went onto score from the spot.

Simao also played the last quarter against Atletico de Kolkata and will most probably start the match which will be his first start of this campaign. The last match also saw Argentine forward Nicholas Velez scoring yet again as he has scored consecutively for his side. The team has no active injury issues and finally Coach Cesar Farias has a full team to experiment with and rotate.

NorthEast United: Rehenesh TP, Reagan Singh, Ralte, Cedric Hengbart, Andre Bikey, Sanju Pradhan, Siam Hanghal, Simao Sabrosa, Silas, Francis Dadzie, Nicolas Velez.

Manager Words

Mumbai City FC assistant coach Oscar Bruzon wants to make the most of their long home leg ahead of their match against NorthEast United FC at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Wednesday.

The match will be Mumbai’s fourth successive game at home and after this there will be one more and Bruzon said it was important his team did well in these matches. “We’re playing at home – it’s a must-win game for us. We’ll [soon] finish the home run of five games… We need to do our homework and capitalise on our home games as nobody has any idea [as to] what could happen in the league,” Bruzon told reporters ahead of the game on Tuesday.

NorthEast United are coming into the game on the back of two straight wins, just as Mumbai City FC, and Farias was all admiration for his rivals. “It’s important to be prepared for them mentally. I have great respect for Mumbai, they play an excellent game. The main aim is to get those three points,” Farias told reporters ahead of the game.

However, when asked who could bother them from the rival camp, Farias said, “We believe in our players and in the work that we do, the way we play the game. I’m sure they’ll be worrying about us as well. Nobody main as such, we’ll be prepared for all of them as the time comes.”

Prediction

Mumbai City FC 2-1 NorthEast United