Chennaiyin FC have to win against East Bengal on Sunday to keep their qualification hopes alive for the playoffs.
The Marina Machans lead but lost against Kerala Blasters 2-1 in the last match while East Bengal played an entertaining 3-3 draw with NorthEast United.
CFC vs EBFC Match Details
Date: Sunday, 12 February 2023
Time: 19:30 (IST)
Venue: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai
CFC vs EBFC Match Preview
The 2-1 loss to Kerala Blasters made it very difficult for Chennaiyin FC to make it into the top six. Their run for the playoffs seems to be mathematically over if the other results do not fall in their favor in the remaining three games of the league phase. In Kochi, Abdenasser El Khayatgi gave the lead only two minutes into the game stunning the home crowd but it was them who were taken aback by the stunning comeback from the Tuskers at the end. It was one of those games again that the Marina Machans performed well but didn’t have the result to show for it. Their defense cost them the entire season with 33 goals conceded in 17 games. Only East Bengal have conceded more. The Red and Golds are the next opponents on their turf and against whom Thomas Bradaric’s side kept their only clean sheet so far. That came in the 1-0 win in the earlier meeting back in November last year. A reversal of that result will be of mighty help for Chennaiyin FC as they search for their first victory in eight games. Three points in the clash will not change their position on the chart but can aid them on their way to a positive ending to this season. That being said, Marina Machans will still be six points away from a playoff place even with a win on Sunday.
East Bengal wanted to build on their 1-0 win over Kerala Blasters at Salt Lake Stadium against bottom-placed NorthEast United in consecutive games at home but they failed. The Highlanders lost three consecutive games without scoring before this but they managed to find the back of the net three times in this game. The Torch Bearers took the lead in the 10th minute of the match through Cleiton Silva although the visitors overturned it in a span of three minutes. New signing Jake Jervis scored before the break to make it 2-2. Silva then turned up again in the 64th minute to restore his side’s advantage in the match. However, just when the home fans started to dream about an outside chance for the playoffs, a former Mohun Bagan player Imran Khan scored a late equalizer to end the game even. Stephen Constaintine’s men will have no chance now to enter the top six even if they hypothetically win all of their remaining games. They have only gathered 16 points from 17 matches but had a more improved campaign this time compared to the previous ones. At the moment, East Bengal’s aim will be to get their first-ever win over Chennaiyin FC in the ISL and their first away victory of the year this weekend.
Recent Form
CFC: LDLDD
EBFC: DWLLL
CFC vs EBFC Team News
Chennaiyin FC will have center-back Fallou Diagne back into the fold after his suspension for too many yellow cards. He will replace Vafa Hakhamaneshi in the back four. Ajith Kumar could also come back in the right-back spot in place of Edwin Sydney Vanspaul.
VP Suhair and Mobashir Rahman will return for East Bengal after completing their one-match ban and will slot straight into the starting eleven. Sarthak Golui could also be restored at right-back with Mohammad Rakip dropping off.
CFC vs EBFC Predicted Lineups
CFC: Samik Mitra; Ajith Kumar, Gurmukh Singh, Fallou Diagne, Aakash Sangwan; Julius Duker, Anirudh Thapa; Ninthoi Meetei, El Khayati, Vincy Barretto; Petar Sliskovic
EBFC: Kamaljit Singh; Sarthak Golui, Lalchungnunga, Charalampos Kyriakou, Jerry Lalrinzuala; VP Suhair, Alex Lima, Mobashir Rahman, Naorem Mahesh; Jake Jervis, Cleiton Silva
CFC vs EBFC Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Kamaljit (8)
DEF: Ajith (7.5), Golui (7), Sangwan (8.5), Jerry (7.5)
MID: Barretto (7.5), El Khayati (9), Mahesh (9)
FW: Jervis (8), Sliskovic (9), C Silva (9)
Vice-captain: Cleiton Silva
Captain: El Khayati
