ISL 2017: Mumbai FC Look For Win Against Chennaiyin FC

Mumbai City FC will bank on their home advantage as they look for their second win when they clash with an in-form Chennaiyin FC side in the Indian Super League (ISL) on Sunday. So far in four games, Mumbai City FC have won a lone match against FC Goa. They have lost two and drawn their last away game 1-1 against Kerala Blasters, having come back from a goal down. The Chennai team has won three games and lost just one. Mumbai are ranked sixth on the table with four points, while their opponents are comfortably placed on the second spot with nine.

Mumbai City FC coach Alexandre Guimaries would be eager that his boys pull up their socks and put up a spirited show. Their hopes will mostly depend on the performance of their star player and striker Balwant Singh, who needs to fire up front.

But Mumbai have the advantage of playing at home and they will take confidence from their last win here. Mumbai boast of some good defenders and midfielders, who need to restrict the opposition attack, and their in-form goalkeeper Amrider Singh needs to showcase his talent to stop the Chennai strikers. Mumbai City FC skipper Lucian Goain admitted that the outing won't be an easy affair.

"It was very important that we won the first game that we played at home. It is not going to be an easy game, we had a good week of training and we are confident that we will take the three points," he told reporters at the pre-match conference.

According to the Mumbai skipper, the most important thing is that they take control of the game from the beginning. "We have to be prepared for everything, the most important for us is to control the game, to set the rhythm of the game, so we will begin with this idea from the beginning," he quipped.

Meanwhile, Chennai would be keen to win again and consolidate their position in the league. Their star striker Jeje Lalpekhlua scored at a perfect time in the last game and the team management would have their hopes pinned on him. Chennai coach John Gregory said that his side would be keen to continue from where they left.

"We obviously just want to keep it going. After poor first 45 minutes against Goa, since then we managed to put good results," he said. Asked about Jeje, Gregory said, "For him possibly (I am relieved). When a large part of your job is scoring goals, which he is done not only for his club but for his country (India), and the fact that he hadn't scored going into the fourth match was very unusual for him, fortunately other people had been scoring, which obviously takes a lot of pressure off Jeje.

"When you have got goal scoring qualities it will come. Back in England, people like Alan Shearer have all gone through barren spells, when we needed it the other night, he (Jeje) came with the goods," Gregory added. He opined that they expect a tough game. "It's tough when all the games come thick and fast. We expect a tough game; every game is difficult they come up with different kind of problems for the coaches and players. There are no easy games and we are just expecting tough game," he signed off.

With PTI Inputs.