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One last dance. One final hooray. The grand finale of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 final is just a sleep away and contenders ATK Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC will be inching to get the footballing gala underway.
The crusade for the coveted title will reach its crescendo at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa on Saturday, March 18. With both teams in a rich vein of form and stacked with heavyweight names, the final showdown is expected to be a grand spectacle.
On one hand, you have the Blues, the story of the season, the miracle club. Simon Grayson and his men were in the 10th spot at the start of the year before they went on an emphatic run. Eight victories strung together levitated Bengaluru into not just the knockout spots but even the top four.
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In the eliminator, BFC set up a date with Kerala Blasters FC. In an encounter impregnated with drama, Sunil Chhetri converted a quick free-kick in the 97th minute of extra time to put the Blues ahead. However, led by head coach Ivan Vukomanovic, the Blasters left the pitch to protest the referee's decision to allow the freekick.
The forfeit ensured Bengaluru's pathway to the semi-finals against League Shield winners Mumbai City FC. After 210 minutes of enticing football over two legs and 16 champagne spot-kicks, the Islanders blinked first as Mehtab Singh missed a penalty in the shootout. Sandesh Jhingan converted from the spot to send BFC into the final.
Meanwhile, the Mariners have been on a marauding run of their own at the business end of the season. ATK Mohun Bagan won two matches on the trot at the end of the regular season to finish third in the standings. Soon after, the Green and Maroon Brigade toppled Odisha FC to make it through to the semis.
Over the two-legged semi-final, Hyderabad FC and ATKMB were inseparable for the entirety of the regulation time. The tie boiled down to penalties, and with Javier Siverio and Bartholomew Ogbeche missing their strikes, the Nizams ultimately fell short.
The two comprehensive journeys of BFC and ATKMB will now come to a conclusion on Saturday, but who emerges with a smile on their face? Only time will tell.
ATK Mohun Bagan vs Bengaluru FC: Team News
ATKMB: Juan Ferrando could be without Ashique Kuruniyan, who has missed both legs against Hyderabad FC. But the ATKMB coach was positive about Ashique's situation and said he will be assessed in training.
BFC: With no injury concerns, Simon Grayson is likely to field an unchanged lineup in the final.
ATK Mohun Bagan vs Bengaluru FC: Predicted Lineups
ATKMB: Vishal Kaith (GK), Asish Rai, Pritam Kotal (C), Slavko Damjanovic, Subhasish Bose, Carl McHugh, Glan Martins, Hugo Boumous, Manvir Singh, Ashique Kuruniyan, and Dimitri Petratos.
BFC: Gurpreet Sandhu (GK/C), Aleksandar Jovanovic, Sandesh Jhingan, Prabir Das, Roshan Naorem, Bruno Silva, Rohit Kumar, Javier Hernandez, Suresh Wangjam, Roy Krishna, and Sivasakthi Narayanan.
ATK Mohun Bagan vs Bengaluru FC: Quotes from the coaches
ATKMB head coach Juan Ferrando:
“In the last few games, they [Bengaluru FC] have been very good and have played confidently. On the field, they look like a proper team. It will be very important to control this game from the start. The focus, as always, is on our team, and we have faith in our plan."
BFC head coach Simon Grayson:
“[ATKMB] are defensively very solid, they have some good defenders, and good competition for places. We will respect the opposition but I’m sure they’ll know that we have some decent players in our team. Hopefully, when we’re talking after the game, it will have been a great advert for the ISL and Indian football."
ATK Mohun Bagan vs Bengaluru FC: Prediction
It's a final, it's as close as two teams can get in terms of form and quality. On top of that, both ATKMB and BFC feature some of the biggest names in the league. It's a clash of contrasting attacking styles.
While it's incredibly difficult to guess who will come out on top at the end of the night, on paper, Bengaluru FC will have a slight edge given their form of late.
Prediction: ATK Mohun Bagan 1-3 Bengaluru FC
