With their sights on an AFC Champions League slot, Mumbai City FC take on Jamshedpur FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Tilak Maidan in Vasco on Saturday.
Jamshedpur FC Preview
Jamshedpur FC are 7th in the table with 21 points from 18 games. The Red Miners are out of contention for a top-four finish after FC Goa's 3-1 win over Odisha FC. Owen Coyle's Jamshedpur FC will hope to end the season on a high by winning their last two fixtures in the league.
The Red Miners had been touted as one of the challengers for a playoff spot before the start of the season. The likes of Nerijus Valskis, Jackichand Singh, and Peter Hartley made them a strong side on paper. But the squad never looked settled and lacked tactical awareness in most of their matches.
Owen Coyle's system of dominating the midfield has not worked so far. Due to lack of quality in the center of the park, Valskis has been forced to drop down and win the ball for his side, thus reducing his goal-scoring ability.
The arrivals of Seiminlen Doungel and Farukh Choudhary have added pace to the Jamshedpur FC side but there is a lack of cohesion in the team. They come into the fixture on the back of a 1-0 loss to ATK Mohun Bagan FC.
Mumbai City FC Preview
Mumbai City FC have slipped to second place in the table after showing inconsistency in their last few fixtures. They occupied the top spot for the majority of the season but now seem to be struggling. The Islanders are winless in their last two games and need to win their remaining three mat to challenge for the AFC Champions League 2022 spot.
Mumbai like to play with the ball and are very attacking. They use the midfield and the wings in tandem, stretching out the opposition defense.
The presence of Ahmed Jahouh, Hugo Boumous, and Cy Goddard in the midfield with Adam Le Fondre and Bartholomew Ogbeche upfront, makes Mumbai City FC a lethal team. They have scored the most number of goals in the league.
However, with Hugo Boumous suspended for the next two games, Mumbai City FC have a task at hand to solve their midfield issues. The Islanders looked hapless in their recent ISL fixture in the absence of Boumous.
Jamshedpur FC vs Mumbai City FC: Prediction
A 10-men Jamshedpur FC side held on to a 1-1 draw with Mumbai City FC in the last meeting between the two sides. Jamshedpur FC will impose another tough challenge on Mumbai City FC but the Islanders are expected to come out on top due to the sheer difference in quality on paper.
Prediction: Jamshedpur FC 1-2 Mumbai City FC
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