Mumbai City FC and Chennaiyin FC will take on each other at the Mumbai Football Arena (MFA) to round off their runs in the first half of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 campaign on Thursday.
Both these teams come into this match on the back of defeats in their respective previous encounters. The Islanders were dealt with a disappointing 2-0 loss by the Kerala Blasters FC in Kochi, whereas the Marina Machans went down to Punjab FC by 1-0 in New Delhi last week.
For Mumbai City FC, the result down south was their first defeat in the ISL this season. Two goalless draws and a loss to Kerala Blasters FC in their previous four encounters suggest that there’s ample room for improvement. Head coach Petr Kratky will be keen to sign off 2023 on a high, but that would mean overcoming a Chennaiyin FC unit that can be really dangerous on their day.
Owen Coyle has had a mixed bag of results with the club so far. Coyle has said repeatedly that they are looking at a long-term perspective at the moment. Their collective aim in this campaign appears to be to finish in the top-six and then bank on Coyle and his excellent game-management skills to go as deep into the competition as possible. Nothing could be a bigger boost to those ambitions than potentially defeating the Mumbai City FC in their own backyard.
There is a lot of thinking that Kratky must have resorted to after the game in Kochi. Mumbai City FC was arguably swept aside from the game by the Kerala Blasters FC, and that perhaps signalled that the difference in quality amongst the higher ranked teams in the ISL is gradually bridging. Post some prominent departures aside from last season, they did solidify their squad in the summer and must be demanding more from themselves.
Chennaiyin FC is a team that likes to play on the front foot, but they need to be smarter with their defensive arrangement in this encounter. Mumbai City FC forwards operate at their best when they spot vacant spaces across the opposition’s backline. Coyle should ensure that his side does not shed their natural instincts but also be simultaneously wary of the threats that the Islanders can pose in certain phases of the game.
