Mumbai City FC look to kisckstart their campaign on home soil against refreshed Chennaiyin FC

by Siddharth Yadav October 16, 2015

Mumbai City FC are all set to welcome Chennaiyin FC at their fortress D.Y Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai. This is Mumbai City’s first home game of the season where they will look to target their first win of this campaign in front of a home packed stadium.

Mumbai City FC has not lived up to their expectations this season as they are lying on seventh in the Indian Super League table. 3-1 loss to arch rivals FC Pune City in Maharashtra Derby and a goalless draw against Kerala Blasters has earned them just a point so far.

Whereas Marco Materazzi’s Chennaiyin FC lies on fifth in the Indian Super League table. Their two straight loss against Atletico de Kolkata and Delhi Dynamos were a bit of surprise among the Chennaiyin FC fans but a huge 4-0 win over FC Goa might have rejuvenated their campaign.

Team News

Mumbai City FC will welcome back their star players who were honouring National Duties for India. Sunil Chhetri, Subrata Pal and Lalchhuanmawia Fanai. Both, Subrata Pal and Sunil Chhetri are expected to start for Mumbai FC whereas Lalchhuanmawia Fanai most probably will start from the bench.

Mumbai City’s midfield will comprise of Pratesh Shirodkar, Bustos with Sunil Chhetri just ahead of them playing as central attacker, behind Frederic Piquionne.

Sonny Norde is expected to start on his preferred role, on left wing while Gabriel Fernandes will start as a right winger. Both players has the ability to create a potent threat in oppositions defence.

At the back, Bertin and Pavel Cmovs are most likely partner each other in centre with Ashutosh Mehta and ex Celtic defender O’Dea as full-backs.

Meanwhile for Chennaiyin FC, Marco Materazzi might go for the same eleven that thrashed FC Goa 4-0 at Fatorda Stadium in their previous match.

Mumbai FC’s Jayesh Rane and Mendoza, who scored a fantastic hattrick against FC Goa are likely to start up front for Chennaiyin FC.

Chennai will fight fire with fire with the likes of Fikru and Stiven Mendoza in their ranks. Mendoza seems to have hit top gear in an encore of his performances last year. The pacey Colombian was involved in all of Chennai’s goal in their last game, while Fikru acts as the perfect ace up Chennai’s sleeve, capable of coming off the bench and having a say in the outcome of the match.

Supporting them would be their best player of last season and their Skipper, the Brazilian Elano who can turn the match with his impressive creativity in the final third.

Harmanjyot Singh Khabra, Thoi Singh and Raphael Augusto will start in Chennaiyin FC’s midfield following their impressive performance against FC Goa.

Wadoo, Mailson, Mendy and Ralte are set to start at the back in hope to target consecutive clean sheets.

Mumbai City FC probable XI: Subrata Pal, Ashutosh Mehta, Pavel Cmovs, Frantz Bertin, Darren O’Dea, Pratesh Shirodkar, Christian Bustos, Sunil Chhetri, Gabriel Fernandes, Sony Norde, Frederic Piquionne

Chennaiyin FC probable XI: Apoula Edel Bete, Mehrajuddin Waddo, Mailson, Bernard Mendy, Sena Ralte, Thoi Singh, Khabra, Raphael Augusto, Elano, Jayesh Rane, Stiven Mendoza

Manager Word’s                      

Mumbai City FC assistant coach Oscar Bruzon following their first home game of the season: “Psychologically, we need to look forward to our first game at home tomorrow, win and change the tendency of not winning games. From the first two games, there are quite a lot of positives. So now we don’t have time to look back, we have time only to look forward.”

Mumbai have a golden opportunity to bring themselves back in reckoning since they play their next five matches at home: “These two weeks, we’ll be introducing our team to the people of Mumbai. We are going to try to put in a good performance tomorrow. We are very sure that the technical side has taken right decisions during scouting, selection as well as the pre-season sessions. And now is the time to show that,” he said.

 Chennaiyin FC coach Marco Materazzi: “I think that if our players are not focussed, the game is going to be difficult. The time when you think you’re better than the opponents is precisely the time when begin to lose. This year, we had to start from zero. What I want from my players is to show maturity and win the next game.”

This match will also see the return of local boy Jayesh Rane to Mumbai in the Chennaiyin blue. The 24-year-old striker, who accompanied Materazzi all through the press conference, drew plenty of praise from his coach. “He was one of the first players to be confirmed. I think his attitude is very European and he’s thinking in the right way. I think that he can also make a difference in the national team. I hope they’ll call him from January onwards. He is young and has a lot of room for improvement. Nonetheless, his mentality is on the right path,” Materazzi said of Rane.

Prediction:

Mumbai City 2-1 Chennaiyin FC