Jamshedpur FC will look to consolidate a strong ISL start this season, as they welcome Bengaluru FC to the JRD Tata Sports Complex on Sunday evening, for a blockbuster clash.
The defending champions are still looking for their first league win of the season, having drawn both their first two games, against FC Goa and NorthEast United. Jamshedpur have two wins on the bounce, beating Odisha FC 2-1, with ten men in their opener, and then comprehensively beating Hyderabad FC 3-1.
Jamshedpur FC v Bengaluru FC: Match Information
Date: 3rd November 2019
Kickoff: 7:30 PM IST
Live Stream: Star Sports Network and Hotstar
Venue: JRD Tata Sports Complex, Jamshedpur
Jamshedpur FC v Bengaluru FC: Team News
Jamshedpur don't have too many problems, with Antonio Iriondo seemingly having found a system and a group of players to fit his way of playing. Piti has been superb, pulling the strings in midfield, Sergio Castel has two goals in two games, and Farukh Chaudhary has turned in Man of the Match performances in both games. CK Vineeth is back, too, for Jamshedpur, and is in line to make his debut for his new club against one of his former employers.
For Bengaluru, Erik Paartalu remains ruled out with an ankle problem. The Australian hasn't even travelled to Jamshedpur for this clash, Bengaluru confirmed. Carles Cuadrat has also put his weight behind Ashique Kuruniyan, who conceded a late penalty that saw Bengaluru drop two points in Goa, but Cuadrat might be tempted to relegate Kuruniyan to the bench, with Albert Serran having returned to full fitness. If Serran starts, it will mean a reshuffle at the back, with Rahul Bheke moving to right-back and Nishu Kumar to left-back.
Jamshedpur FC v Bengaluru FC: Probable Lineups
Jamshedpur FC: Subrata Paul, Robin Gurung, Memo, Tiri, Keegan Pereira, Aitor Monroy, Mobashir Rahman, Piti, Isaac Vanmalsawma, Farukh Chaudhary, Sergio Castel
Bengaluru FC: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Rahul Bheke, Albert Serran, Juanan Gonzalez, Nishu Kumar, Dimas Delgado, Harmanjot Singh Khabra, Raphael Augusto, Udanta Singh, Sunil Chhetri, Manuel Onwu
Jamshedpur FC v Bengaluru FC: ISL Form Guide
Jamshedpur FC: W-W-W-D-L
Bengaluru FC: D-D-W-W-L
Jamshedpur FC v Bengaluru FC Head-to-Head
This will be the 5th meeting between the two sides in the ISL, after both had joined the league in the 2017-18 season. Last season, they faced off in the last league game for either side, when Bengaluru chose to field a second-string side, with a large number of first-team players not even making the arduous journey to Jamshedpur.
Jamshedpur FC wins: 1
Bengaluru FC wins: 2
Draws: 1
Jamshedpur FC v Bengaluru FC Prediction
These two sides have had contrasting starts, with Bengaluru's two draws up against Jamshedpur's two home wins, at the start of the season. Bengaluru have faced tough opposition in Goa and NorthEast United, and they could make a case for having won both those games, but have fallen short.
Jamshedpur, on the other hand, have looked in superb shape against Odisha and Hyderabad, but this, against the defending champions, will be a completely different test and the biggest one for Iriondo's men so far.
Prediction: Jamshedpur FC 1-1 Bengaluru FC