Table toppers Mumbai City are in red hot form as they take on FC Goa at the Mumbai Football Arena. The Islanders are the only side yet to lose this season.
Des Buckingham’s men picked up their third consecutive victory in the league by beating NorthEast United 3-1 while the Gaurs took a surprise 2-0 defeat to out-of-form Bengaluru FC.
MCFC vs FCG Match Details
Date: Thursday, 1 December 2022
Time: 19:30 (IST)
Venue: Mumbai Football Arena, Mumbai
MCFC vs FCG Match Preview
The 3-1 success over NorthEast United put Mumbai City FC on top of the chart for the first time and maintained it for the game week after Hyderabad FC lost consecutive games in the league. The Islanders scored the first goal for the seventh time out of eight games with Ahmed Jahouh converting an early spot-kick. 19-year-old Parthib Gogoi then equalized for the home side, only their third goal this season, before Bipin Singh restored the lead just before the half-hour mark. Jorge Pereyra Diaz then confirmed the victory in the first minute after the break. While the clean sheet was not achieved on the night, it was another pure domination from Mumbai City FC as they look to secure the top spot of the table this season. Another much-needed win to break the four-game winless run against the Highlanders. They have a healthy two points lead over the holders Hyderabad FC with 18 points from eight games, scoring the most goals in the league and conceding just nine. The Islanders are also the only side yet to lose this season. Des Buckingham’s men were in a similar situation last season as well but they fell off sharply after the bright start. So, Mumbai City FC have to be more proficient this time around to prevent such a dilemma again. There is no reason to hit the panic button as the Islanders carry a six-game unbeaten record against FC Goa, the opposition they face next. Mumbai City FC did the double over the Gaurs last campaign and have not lost this meeting since a 5-2 crumbling in 2020. Hence, a victory is again on the menu for the table toppers.
Ahead of this pivotal clash, FC Goa made a big mess for them by losing 2-0 to Bengaluru FC whose last win came in their opening match against NorthEast United. Simon Grayson’s side lost the last four league games before this. Javi Hernandez scored a brace to plunder the home side’s progress to the top four of the chart and also cancelled their unbeaten record at Fatorda Stadium this season. It was a double whammy for Carlos Pena and his players who were confident to pick up a victory in the game. Now, FC Goa have to face a challenging schedule in which they face all the top four sides in five of the next six games. The Gaurs have looked fascinating when things have fallen into their favor but crumbled in the opposite situation. The away games have troubled them more with back-to-back losses in the last two after opening this season with consecutive wins on the road. Such inconsistency will not help while facing a cohesive unit like Mumbai City FC that too in their den. Despite the defeat in the last game, FC Goa will count on their positive start to the season with four wins out of seven games earning them a spot in the playoff contention. At the same time, Carlos Pena’s men are only two points better than falling out of the top six places. So, they will be desperate to take a positive turn irrespective of the massive challenge possessed by the Islanders on Thursday.
Recent Form
MCFC: WWWDW
FCG: LWLWL
MCFC vs FCG Predicted Lineups
MCFC: Phurba Lachenpa; Rahul Bheke, Rostyn Griffiths, Mehtab Singh, Vignesh Dakshinamurthy; Greg Stewart, Ahmed Jahouh, Apuia; Lallianzuala Chhangte, Jorge Pereyra Diaz, Bipin Singh
FCG: Dheeraj Singh; Seriton Fernandes, Anwar Ali, Marc Valiente, Aibanbha Dohling; Edu Bedia, Ayush Dev Chhetri; Redeem Tlang, Iker Guarrotxena, Brandon Fernandes; Noah Sadaoui
MCFC vs FCG Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Lachenpa (7.5)
DEF: Bheke (8), Griffiths (8.5), Anwar (8), Dohling (8.5)
MID: Bipin (9), Bedia (9), Jahouh (9)
FW: Stewart (9), Diaz (8), Sadaoui (9)
Vice-captain: Bipin Singh
Captain: Greg Stewart
Stay tuned to Fantasy Football for upcoming matches.
