ISL 3: Mumbai look to turns things around in the second leg

by Chittu Shetty December 13, 2016

Mumbai City FC gets ready to face Atletico de Kolkata in the return leg of first semi final of the third edition of Indian Super League at the Mumbai Football Arena on Tuesday evening.

Chhetri needs to find his scoring boots

After the first leg ended with ATK coming on top, the hosts are in dire need of a win. ATK go into the second leg with a one goal advantage over Mumbai City after the narrow 3-2 win and a draw will also be enough.

Mumbai will miss the service of their Marquee player Diego Forlan due to a suspension after picking up two yellow cards in the same game in the first leg.

Mumbai will need their big players to step up in the absence of Forlan and it will be the perfect opportunity for the Sunil Chhetri to come to the party with his scoring boots. India’s top goal scorer has failed to find the net so far this season although he did manage to pull off two assists in the mean time.  Sony Norde may start today in place of Forlan.

Mumbai City FC head coach Alexandre Guimaraes said ahead of the return leg, “We have some things to resolve and firstly it is about intensity and I have been talking to players that these kinds of games have to be played with different intensity, not just physical but also mental and we also have to solve the absence of Diego.”

Also Read: Hume brace helps ATK edge ten man Mumbai city FC

The Costa Rican, however, believes that his team will fight to make the final and are in with a good chance of turning things around at home on Tuesday. “We know that we have to play very smart. The situation is not desperate for us because it is only one goal, so we have to play better than the last game and I still believe that we are alive and we have our chance and we will fight hard to get to the final,” Guimaraes added.

At the other end Atletico de Kolkata would look for another aggressive game. Atletico de Kolkata coach Jose Molina assured his team won’t go defensive for the match, “We are going to play the same way and nothing is going to change and we will play the same way we have since our first game of the league,” the 46-year-old said.

“I think now we are playing better and the players did really well in the last match and it was a great match and as I have told you we will continue playing the same way,” Molina added.

An interesting tie waits as the hosts would for their first final appearance while the visitors look forward to go one step further from last season and make it to the finals like the inaugural edition.

KICK OFF: 7PM, Mumbai Football Arena