Sitting pretty on top of the nine-team table with nine points from three wins on the trot, Bengaluru FC will be a hard nut to crack for the home team.
“It's important to win every game. We have a tough schedule ahead of us as we play six games in the next 20 days which is unheard of. We have four away fixtures in our first five games as well but we're looking to stay positive and get good results,”
Ashley Westwood, Bengaluru FC coach
PTI
Mumbai
Table toppers Bengaluru FC will take on a resurgent Mumbai FC in what promises to be an action-packed fourth round I-League football game at the Cooperage grounds on Wednesday.
Sitting pretty on top of the nine-team table with nine points from three wins on the trot, Bengaluru FC will be a hard nut to crack for the home team.
Mumbai started their campaign with two goalless draws before clinching a 2-1 win over Goa's Salgaocar SC on Sunday to break their winless and goalless streak.
Bengaluru, the 2014 I-League champions, are pretty high on confidence after successive wins over Salgaocar, Aizawl FC and Shillong Lajong.
The Ashley Westwood-coached side, with India captain Sunil Chhetri to lead them up front, had routed Shillong 3-0 at home in the previous game after clinching their first two away matches with more modest margins.
The Mumbai FC defence is going to be tested to the full by the speedy Bengaluru side with the likes of Chhetri and Korean Kim Song Yong -- who scored twice against Shillong -- expected to give it a harrowing time.
The Mumbai outfit, after two draws in the first two games, finally found success against Salgaocar and also ended their goal drought by scoring two goals in the match. With five points, the home side are currently in fourth position on the league table.
Khalid Jamil, head coach of Mumbai FC, said that the players were in an upbeat mood and ready to meet the challenge from the former champions.
“The win in the last match has boosted the morale and confidence of the team. All players are also fit to play against Bengaluru. Steven Dias has recovered from a slight ankle niggle which kept him out of last game and is available for selection,” Jamil said ahead of the match.
“The preparations for the game against Bengaluru have started well and the boys are motivated after the first win. Bengaluru FC, are a good team but we have a decent record against them and with home support we hope we can continue the run,” he further stated.
The two teams have previously clashed four times and all have ended in draws. In the last meeting between the two teams, Mumbai FC came close to snatching an away win.
Westwood's strike combination of CK Vineeth and Kim Sing Yong justified the gaffer's pairing of them, grabbing the goals against Shillong.
“Kim being physical and Vineeth being in good form and using his pace to link together, is a good partnership. Udanta and Sunil can also play in those positions. At the minute, Vineeth and Kim are doing well but we definitely have more options in that respect,” said Westwood following his side's victory.
“It's important to win every game. We have a tough schedule ahead of us as we play six games in the next 20 days which is unheard of. We have four away fixtures in our first five games as well but we're looking to stay positive and get good results,” said Westwood ahead of the game against Mumbai.
