A mouth-watering clash is set to unfold at Mumbai Football Arena on Saturday with unbeaten league leaders Mumbai City FC taking on spirited Hyderabad FC in second.
The Islanders came from behind against plucky Jamshedpur FC to win 2-1 while the Nizams secured a 2-0 victory against East Bengal in Kolkata.
HFC vs MCFC Match Details
Date: Saturday, 4 February 2023
Time: 17:30 (IST)
Venue: Mumbai Football Arena, Mumbai
HFC vs MCFC Match Preview
It was in high demand that Hyderabad FC was required to register all three points against East Bengal to move into the top-of-the-table clash with Mumbai City FC with confidence high. Goals from Javier Siverio and later Aaren D’Silva in the 2-0 win at Salt Lake Stadium gave them that. Although Manolo Marquez would have asked for more goals from seven shots on target, a win by any margin was needed by the Nizams to bounce back from their rather unconvincing 1-1 draw against Chennaiyin FC. Having shared the first place in the table after each game with Mumbai City FC in a tight battle, the unfortunate draw for Hyderabad FC helped the Islanders to extend their gap to an eventual seven points. Facing them next and with four games to follow after it, there is no other option left than to beat the league leaders to have any chance of clinching the Winners Shield this term. The silverware they missed out narrowly last season to Jamshedpur FC even though the ISL title was a reward for the excellent work put in by the club. Hyderabad FC will look forward to reflecting that champions tag in their trip to Mumbai. The Nizams are unbeaten in their last seven games, picking six wins in that period and scoring 19 times while conceding just four. Manolo Marquez’s side have in total only let in merely nine goals this season but will be forced to battle hard against the opposition’s clinical front three if they are to secure victory with a clean sheet.
Mumbai City FC expected a goal-galore performance yet again while taking on ninth-placed Jamshedpur FC at the JRD Tata Arena. Instead, they had to work hard to make a comeback in the game after Boris Singh sent the home fans into a frenzy after scoring the lead in the 63rd minute. Des Buckingham’s side for once felt their indomitable run in the league is threatened. Then they showed the mentality of being league leaders. The manager made a catalog of changes with 20 minutes left on the clock, among which one, substitute Vikram Pratap Singh scored a freakish winner in the 86th minute minutes after Lalllianzuala Chhangte equalized to lift Mumbai City FC’s spirit. The win tasted sweeter than the ones they completely annihilated the opponents and for all good reasons. It showed the resounding depth of the Islanders in their squad if the otherwise untouchable starting eleven does not work. All of these factors made Mumbai City FC an unstoppable machine this season. Not losing a game this season and not dropping any points since November last year, it will only be a surprise if the Islanders had a major drop-off from here. They lost both duels against Hyderabad FC last season but this is a much-changed team this time around and with a strike force scoring 47 goals any upsetting records could be turned. So, the home side will be fearless in continuing their unprecedented invincibility in ISL.
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HFC vs MCFC Team News
Hyderabad will still be without the services of Joao Victor and Laxmikant Kattimani, both of them nursing long-term injuries. Halicharan Narzary could also be back involved after missing the last game. Center-back Nim Dorjee with his brilliant performances has kept first-choice Chinglensana on the bench even when the latter is back after an injury layoff. The 27-year-old will continue to partner with Odei Onaindia at the back.
Mumbai City will miss the services of Ahmed Jahouh who is suspended for the accumulation of yellow cards. In his place, Vinit Rai could start in the midfield three of Apuia and Greg Stewart. No changes in the incredible front line of Lalianzuala Chhangte, Jorge Pereyra Diaz and Bipin Singh.
HFC vs MCFC Predicted Lineups
HFC: Gurmeet Singh; Nikhil Poojary, Nim Dorjee, Odei Onaindia, Akash Mishra; Hitesh Sharma, Borja Herrera; Mohammad Yasir, Bartholomew Ogbeche, Rohit Danu; Javier Siverio
MCFC: Phurba Lachenpa; Sanjeev Stalin, Rostyn Griffiths, Mehtab Singh, Vignesh Dakshinamurthy; Vinit Rai, Apuia, Greg Stewart; Lalianzuala Chhangte, Jorge Pereyra Diaz, Bipin Singh.
HFC vs MCFC Head to head
The reverse fixture was an absolute thriller between the sides this season with the game ending in a 3-3 draw at Pune. It was also the first game of the season for both teams as well. Mumbai City FC took the lead in the game after a tidy move ended in Chinglensana turning the ball into his own net but Joao Victor converted a spot-kick just before half-time to level up matters for Hyderabad FC. Holicharan Narzary then put Nizams ahead shortly after the break only to see Greg Stewart produce a clinical finish in the 67th minute. Joao Victor arrived with his second goal of the evening next before substitute Alberto Noguera in the dying embers made sure honors were shared evenly.
HFC vs MCFC Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Lachenpa (7.5)
DEF: Poojary (8), Griffiths (8.5), Mehtab (8), Mishra (8.5)
MID: Yasir (9), Chhangte (8.5), Bipin (9)
FW: Stewart (9), Diaz (8), Ogbeche (8.5)
Vice-captain: Bartholomew Ogbeche
Captain: Greg Stewart
Stay tuned to Fantasy Football for upcoming matches.
