TP Rehenesh and Sahal Abdul Samad. (Credit: Twitter)
Jamshedpur FC have not scored in each of their last two meetings with the Mariners in the ISL, with Bengaluru FC (twice) being the only other team they have failed to score against in consecutive games.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) will return to Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 action after three weeks as they prepare to square off against Jamshedpur FC at the JRD Tata Sports Complex on November 1, Wednesday.
The Mariners beat Chennaiyin FC 3-1 in their previous ISL fixture on October 7, and they followed it up with a 2-2 draw against Basundhara Kings in the AFC Cup last Tuesday.
Jamshedpur FC succumbed to a 2-1 loss in Guwahati after NorthEast United FC struck twice in the added time of second half to hand the Red Miners a defeat. They have not scored in each of their last two meetings with the Mariners in the ISL, with Bengaluru FC (twice) being the only other team they have failed to score against in consecutive games. Jamshedpur has never gone three games in a row without finding the back of the net against a single opponent in competition history.
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What’s at stake?
Jamshedpur FC
The Men of Steel need to bounce back from their late loss against the Highlanders. The Mariners have scored the second joint-most (7) goals in the league so far, despite playing the least games (3) amongst all teams. Scott Cooper will have to ensure defensive discipline to avoid any slip-ups such as the last game.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant
Juan Ferrando had multiple signings in Jason Cummings, Sahal Abdul Samad, and Anirudh Thapa amongst others coming in this year. He has implemented his playing style seamlessly and hit the ground running straightaway with three victories in as many games. A win in Jamshedpur could help them strengthen their prospects of solidifying their spot amongst the top spots in the table.
Key Players
TP Rehenesh (Jamshedpur FC)
The goalkeeper has helped his side keep three clean sheets in five games so far. He has made 19 saves in five appearances against the Mariners, making 51 recoveries with an 86.36% saves rate. His presence between the sticks will be crucial for Jamshedpur FC’s prospects in the coming match.
Sahal Abdul Samad (Mohun Bagan Super Giant)
Sahal Abdul Samad starred against Chennaiyin FC earlier this month by assisting two of the three goals his team scored in that game. However, he has netted only twice and assisted once in 11 appearances against Jamshedpur FC, which is a record he will look to improve in this game.
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Head-to-Head
Played – 7
Jamshepdur FC – 4
Mohun Bagan Super Giant – 2
Draw – 1
Trivia: Vishal Kaith has made 20 saves, 11 clearances, 106 recoveries, and kept three clean sheets in eight appearances against Jamshedpur FC.
Team Talk
“You should want to play against the best teams. I am excited to see Mohun Bagan Super Giant, to watch them play, they play great football, they have wonderful players, and they signed very good foreign players including Jason Cummings, who is a good signing. He (Juan Ferrando) is a coach with a clear philosophy, you can see that. They are a team that I would watch on TV. I like the way they play football. They are not champions for nothing. They play good football. They have got good players and they are playing a style that I particularly like,” Jamshedpur FC tactician Scott Cooper praised his opponents in the pre-match press conference.
“We need to continue working, finding solutions, and continuing improving, because it’s an eight-month long competition, so we need to continue working the same way. Sometimes, we have success and we win three points and sometimes we don’t have success. But, all the time it’s the same for me, what’s most important is the present, right now the present is to try and win three points,” Mohun Bagan Super Giant tactician Juan Ferrando spoke about the importance of taking it one game at a time in the ISL.