It is a Super Sunday in the ISL, and in Bengaluru, as defending champions Bengaluru FC host their southern rivals Chennaiyin FC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium with both sides still looking for their first ISL win of the season.
Bengaluru have three draws in three games, while Chennaiyin have only a managed a solitary point from their three outings so far. Bengaluru will be happy to be back in home comforts, and might even have considered themselves unlucky to come out of their away games in Goa and Jamshedpur with only a couple of draws when they did enough to win both games.
Chennaiyin, meanwhile, are crying out for some goals from somewhere. Nerijus Valskis, Andre Schembri, Dragos Firtulescu and Rafael Crivellaro have all had their share of chances, but have fluffed their lines, which has meant that the two-time former ISL champions have not been able to register so far this season. In fact, carrying over from the end of last season, Chennaiyin have not found the net for almost 600 minutes of football.
Bengaluru FC v Chennaiyin FC: Match Information
Date: 10th November 2019
Kickoff: 7:30 PM IST
Live Stream: Star Sports Network and Hotstar
Venue: Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru
Bengaluru FC v Chennaiyin FC: Team News
For Bengaluru, Albert Serran is ruled out with a muscle injury that he picked up in the draw in Jamshedpur. Erik Paartalu, though, has recovered, and is in line for his first ISL appearance of the season. Manuel Onwu has drawn a blank thus far, and the Spanish striker could get the boot, and a place on the bench for this one. Raphael Augusto and Harmanjot Singh Khabra will face their former club in this game.
For Chennaiyin, Jeje Lalpekhlua remains a long-term absentee, but there might be a shuffle in the front-line, given their acute shortage of goals - the two-time champs have gone almost 600 ISL minutes without scoring a goal, but John Gregory remains bullish about his side's chances.
Bengaluru FC v Chennaiyin FC: Probable Lineups
Bengaluru FC: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Harmanjot Singh Khabra, Rahul Bheke, Juanan Gonzalez, Nishu Kumar, Dimas Delgado, Erik Paartalu, Raphael Augusto, Udanta Singh, Ashique Kuruniyan, Sunil Chhetri
Chennaiyin FC: Vishal Kaith, Edwin Sydney Vanspaul, Eli Sabia, Lucian Goian, Tondonba Singh, Dhanpal Ganesh, Anirudh Thapa, Dragos Firtulescu, Rafael Crivallero, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Nerijus Valskis
Bengaluru FC v Chennaiyin: ISL Form Guide
Bengaluru FC: D-D-D-W-W
Chennaiyin FC: L-D-L-L-D
Bengaluru FC v Chennaiyin FC Head-to-Head
This will be the 6th meeting between the two sides in the ISL, after Bengaluru had joined the league in the 2017-18 season. Chennaiyin hold the upper hand, including a win in the 2017-18 ISL final. Last season, the two sides won their respective home games. Bengaluru won 1-0 at the Kanteerava with a goal from Miku, while Chennaiyin won 2-1 at home, with goals from Jeje and Gregory Nelson.
Bengaluru FC wins: 2
Chennaiyin FC wins: 3
Draws: 0
Bengaluru FC v Chennaiyin FC Prediction
Bengaluru are slightly better placed than Chennaiyin, because they have been playing some really good football, and the only goal they have conceded so far this season was from a penalty. Chennaiyin, meanwhile, don't seem to have a solution in sight for the lack of goals.
Prediction: Bengaluru FC 1-0 Chennaiyin FC