FC Pune City vs NorthEast United FC: What we can expect - Preview and Prediction

John Abraham's NorthEast United FC which is currently sitting pretty on the third position in the league standings travel to the Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, to play against Hrithik Roshan's seventh placed FC Pune City. The home team has had a mixed bag going into its fifth match, with two losses, one win and one draw.

With a third straight home game for them, they will be looking to get back to winning ways. NorthEast on the other hand will be looking for the crucial away win so that they can move a spot up to the number second position.

Venue and Kick-off

The third home fixture for Pune, in a row, the Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi will be the stage for the showdown between the two teams. While Pune will be looking up to its fans for support and the much needed momentum to go ahead, NorthEast will be relying on speed and accuracy to thwart any such plans of the home team.

Kick-Off: November 3 — 7:00 PM (IST)

Form

FC Pune City can rely on the strength and support of their fans to see them through a game which will be their first test against the top three teams of the league. NorthEast have shown time and again that they are deadly on the counter attacks as well as on the advances from the two flanks and the centre.

Pune will be well aware of these things, and even though they were on the losing side in the previous game against Kerala, they showed that they are only growing in strength thanks to the win against Goa. In the previous game, Pune lost 2-1 despite going ahead in the 15th minute of the game, but they kept pressing on right till the last minute for the elusive second goal to draw the match. And that is an indication of how desperately this team wants to get up and ahead in the league standings.

NorthEast United on the other hand come to Balewadi after having sweated out a draw against the Delhi Dynamos. But it will be important to note that they nearly took the game against Delhi and Ricki Herbert the NorthEast United coach has gotten his tactics spot on till date.

He has worked hard with the Highlanders and it has shown in the results. Even in the Delhi game, the referee clearly denied a penalty to NorthEast thereby ruining their chances of winning the game. NorthEast boast of a strong attacking squad and with Ricki Herbert heading the Highlanders the game will be an interesting contest slightly tilted in the favour of the travelling team

Possible Line-Ups

NorthEast United FC (4-1-4-1): Alexandros Tzorvas, Aiborlang Khongjee, Kondwani Mtonga, Joan Capdevila, Garcia, Tomas Josl, Gurung, Felipe, Boithang Haokip, Koke, James Keene.

Ricki Herbert has long ago identified that the lethal strength of the Highlanders lies in their wings and their devastating counter attacks. Koke looks to be set in the attacking midfield position and there is a good chance that he will play there. Even though they played a 4-1-4-1 in their previous game, they will be looking to up the tempo with a solid 4-4-2 formation.

Keene will be alongside Koke, while Milan and Durga will be in the central midfield. Capdevila will probably be back for the game alongside Mtonga in the defence. While Rehenesh kept the goal in the previous game there is a chance that he will have to let go of his position for Tzorvas.

Herbert however downplays all signs that they are the better team in the contest categorically saying, “We’re still a work in progress. I’m pleased that everyone has been contributing and we’ve played decent football, but we have to continue to do better.”

Clearly he knows that the young team, which has impressed one and all and also garnered a massive support during away games, has a long road ahead. But the former New Zealand manager is of firm resolve that the team can pull off a victory if they manage to play their game to their strengths.

Herbert will be looking to play the two forwards in Keene and Koke together, because the previous formation hadn't worked to the team's advantage. And knowing that Pune's defence falters occasionally this might just be the moment they will be waiting for to latch onto and seal the game.

FC Pune City (Red) vs NorthEast United FC (Blue) possible line-ups

FC Pune City (4-4-2): Belardi, Sarkar, Ravanan, Magliocchetti, Cirillo, Mehta, Gurung, Katsouranis, Wadoo, Goossens, Trezeguet

Why will Pune play a 4-4-2 formation? Because despite the loss in the previous game the formation has proved good for them. It was a bad outing for Mehta, who was running into blind ends and struggled to feed the ball to either Goossens or Trezeguet. The four man defence has stood up for the team in the recent past. While the game against Kerala resulted in a loss, the team still continued to attack and press forward till the end and that is something that is very positive about them.

Trezeguet of course will be the player to look out for, given that he has scored in both the games played at home. Not just that but he has managed to make those inquisitive runs into the other half always waiting to poach a ball and put it in the back of the net. Goossens on the other hand has been clinical in his gameplay and has settled very well into the squad. Despite ending on the losing side, the team will draw heart from the fact that he has fit into the vital position alongside Trezeguet very well.

Coach Franco Colomba will be looking to win the game this time around, while the status on Belardi's injury is still unclear, it looks like he will be back in the playing 11. He too has been a vital cog in the FC Pune City machinery and will look to keep a clean slate against the likes of Koke and Keene.

Key Stats

This will be Pune's third game on the trot that is being played at their home stadium

A sizeable number of players from NorthEast United FC play for the I-League team Shillong Lajong FC.

Sergio Padro of NorthEast United FC and David Trezeguet of FC Pune City

Key Battles

Koke vs Trezeguet

Attacking mid-fielder vs forward. A battle of sorts could be the result of the same. While Koke or Sergio Padro is the leading scorer of the league, Trezeguet too notched up two goals in the last two matches. It will be an interesting battle up front for both the players. While Koke is all about speed and strength, Trezeguet is about guile and finesse.

Capdevila/ Mtonga vs Magliocchetti/ Cirillo

While in the front it will be the likes of Trezeguet battling with Koke, the defence will be about the Italians from Pune vs, Mtonga and Capdevila. Both the Italians are known for their no nonsense game play and hard tackles. It will be interesting to see which side has the defence that will hold up to the test of the attacks from either ends.

Prediction

NorthEast United FC come into the game as the first team from the top three to play against bottom placed Pune. While the young team from the eight eastern states will be looking to move into the second position Pune will be looking to amass three points and climb back into the middle of the table.

While NorthEast has its attacks and counter attacks, Pune has its cleverly timed runs and the ability to score goals from set pieces with good accuracy. It will be interesting to see the same, although we reckon that the battle will be played more in the mid-field rather than either of the two halves.

We predict that the game will end in a draw with Pune coming from behind to rescue the game in the last quarter.

FC Pune City 1-1 NorthEast United