MBSG vs PUN Match Details
Date: Saturday, 23 September 2023
Time: 20:00 (IST)
Venue: Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata
MBSG vs PUN Match Preview
Five months after lifting the ISL title for the first time in Goa, Mohun Bagan will start their journey into the new season with a new brand name. Early this month, the club also went on to win the Durand Cup for a record 17 times over arch-rivals East Bengal with a solitary goal from last season’s Golden Boot winner Dimitri Petratos. The Australian was on the scoresheet again, twice this time, as the Green and Maroon cruised to a 4-0 victory over 10-men Odisha FC in the AFC Cup opener three days ago. Arrived from Kerala Blasters, Sahal Abdul Samad scored his first goal for the club for the opener while Liston Colaco headed in the third. The team played pulsating football which was expected after the summer business bringing in top Indian and international stars. With their coach Juan Ferrando extending his contract for a year, Mohun Bagan has shown their intent to win more silverware in the upcoming season. While the club is giving continental success paramount importance, the ISL trophy defence or going for the Shield remains high on the priority list. There will be no better way to start the campaign with a victory against the I-league champions, returning to the stadium they lifted the Durand Cup.
Punjab FC had a historical season last time becoming the first side ever to be promoted to the ISL having won the I-League in stunning fashion. The Shers finished 10 points clear at the top ahead of some strong contenders like Sreenidi Deccan and previous winners Gokulam Kerala while losing just twice in the entire season. Now, in the big time, Punjab FC will face challenges like no other but will draw motivation from I-league teams giving the ISL side a run for their money in the past to showcase their impact. While the club owner has played down significance in their debut campaign in the now top-flight amid their coach taking each game as final, the I-league winners will try their best to at least avoid finishing bottom of the pile. Even though relegation is yet to start in the ISL. They could not have imagined a more difficult fixture to begin their dream campaign with than taking on the title defenders. These two met only last month in the Durand Cup where Mohun Bagan emerged 2-0 victorious from an own goal by Melroy Assisi and Hugo Boumous tucking the other. Punjab FC will be desperate not to repeat that result and pull off a miracle of some kind against all odds.
MBSG vs PUN Team News
Mohun Bagan's big injury blow came earlier this month when Ashique Kruniyan was ruled out for the season for an ACL tear while on national duties. Midfielder Anirudh Thapa will miss the opener after receiving a second yellow in the Durand Cup final which the Mariners went on to win even with 10 players. In his place, Glan Martins could start alongside two creators Boumous and Sahal. Big money purchase and A-league’s top-scorer will partner ISL Golden Boot winner Dimitri Petratos and Liston Colaco up front. Another top forward signing, Albanian international Armando Sadiku will begin from the bench.
Meanwhile, Punjab FC will be unable to call upon two foreign signings for the game. Center-back Dimitrios Chatziisaias and striker Jordan Gill will be unavailable after joining the team late and having less pre-season time. That means Staikos Vergetis’s side could go for an all-Indian back-line which will be a risk defending against the foreign stars of Mohun Bagan. I-league’s top two goal contributors Juan Mera and Luka Majcen will start up-front for the team. The latter also scored against Mohun Bagan last year in the AFC Cup while with Gokulam Kerala.
MBSG vs PUN Predicted Lineups
MBSG: Vishal Kaith; Asish Rai, Anwar Ali, Hector Yuste, Subhasish Bose; Hugo Boumous, Glan Martins, Sahal Samad; Dimitri Petratos, Jason Cummings, Liston Colaco
PUN: Kiran Chemjong; Suresh Meitei, Mashoor Sheriff, Melroy Assisi, Mohammed Salah; Khaimin Lhungdim, Madih Talal, Sweden Fernandes, Brandon Vanlalremdika; Luka Majcen, Juan Mera
MBSG vs PUN Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Kaith (7.5)
DEF: Suresh (8), Anwar (8), Yuste (7.5), Lhungdim (7.5)
MID: Sahal (8.5), Boumous (8), Brandon (8)
FW: Majcen (9), Petratos (9), Cummings (9)
Vice-captain: Hugo Boumous
Captain: Dimitri Petratos
