League’s first-timers lock horns in Bengaluru

League debutants Bengaluru FC and Jamshedpur FC square off for the first time in Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2017-18 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday. The Blues suffered their first home set-back of the league when Chennaiyin FC pipped them 2-1 in their last match, as they consequently lost their position of table-toppers to FC Goa. Meanwhile, Jamshedpur FC won and lost for the first time in the league after first beating Delhi Dynamos FC and then losing to FC Pune City in their last two fixtures. Being unbeaten away from home and having never conceded on their travels, Jamshedpur will be confident about getting the better of a very balanced Bengaluru side.

KEY PLAYERS

Udanta Singh (Bengaluru FC)

The pacey winger has looked sharp and powerful on the flanks for Bengaluru FC this season. With him in attack, the opposition defence is always on the look-out, and yet he tends to find openings at will. Most of the Blues’ attacks are initiated by Udanta, and he has already notched up two assists. The 21-year-old will look to wreak havoc on Jamshedpur and add to his strong start to the season.

Mehtab Hossain (Jamshedpur FC)

A seasoned professional, Mehtab has been anchoring Jamshedpur’s midfield with poise and elegance. His man-marking is exceptional as is his incisiveness while carrying forward attacks. Mehtab’s versatility has also helped his team a lot by breaking down opponent attack, while getting his side on the front foot simultaneously. The 32-year-old has an assist to his name in Hero ISL 2017-18, and will look to put on another solid performance against Bengaluru.

POTENTIAL STARTING LINEUPS

Bengaluru FC

Albert Roca may opt for a 4-2-3-1 formation, which relies heavily on their midfield and flanks for proper service to the striker.

Goalkeeper: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu

Defenders: Rahul Bheke, John Johnson, Juanan, Subhasish Bose

Midfielders: Lenny Rodrigues, Edu Garcia, Erik Paartalu, Sunil Chhetri, Udanta Singh

Forward: Miku

Bengaluru’s head coach on the importance of bouncing back after defeat: “I just want to win quickly after the loss in the previous match. It is very important to react, and at home, we cannot concede more points. My players know how important it is to win tomorrow, even more so after the last result.”

Jamshedpur FC

Steve Coppell may look to counter the Blues by lining his team up in a similar 4-2-3-1 formation.

Goalkeeper: Subrata Paul

Defenders: Souvik Chakrabarti, Andre Bikey, Tiri, Shouvik Ghosh

Midfielders: Memo, Mehtab Hossain, Siddharth Singh, Bikash Jairu, Trindade Goncalves

Forwards: Izu Azuka

The visitor’s head coach on his team’s overall mentality: “From day one, we have focused a lot on having a solid foundation. We work quite hard on our defensive structures. We are very mindful at the moment of not being very prolific in front of goal ourselves. We need to improve, and we know that.”

KEY STAT