Bengaluru FC will travel to Kolkata to square off against Mohun Bagan Super Giant in a repeat of the final of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan to kick off the second Matchweek of the season on Wednesday.

What’s at stake?

Mohun Bagan Super Giant

The Mariners are on a seven-game unbeaten streak in the league presently and have avoided defeats in all of their previous four home games.

They commenced the campaign by netting thrice against Punjab FC and boast of the second-best differential between expected goals (1.79) and actual goals scored (three) in the ongoing ISL season (+1.21 xG value). Juan Ferrando will be hoping his side continues that form in front of their passionate home fans against Bengaluru.

Bengaluru FC

The Blues are playing their second away game on a trot and have won only once in seven matches against the Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the ISL. Their eight-match victorious streak came to an end with the loss against Kerala Blasters FC in the opening fixture.

The last time Bengaluru FC lost consecutive away games was in December 2022, before they embarked on the incredible run that propelled them to the final. Grayson will be hoping to pick up momentum slightly earlier this season, starting with the coming match.

Key Players

Manvir Singh (Mohun Bagan Super Giant)

Manvir Singh hit the ground running instantly by scoring the team’s third goal of their game against Punjab FC. The forward showed razor-sharp goal-scoring instincts and will be edging to add to his tally either as a starter or a substitute.

Sivasakthi Narayanan (Bengaluru FC)

The young forward has to assume greater responsibilities in Sunil Chhetri’s absence. Narayanan assisted Curtis Main’s strike against the Blasters last Thursday and he will be keen to net his first goal of the season against the Mariners in their own backyard.

Head-to-Head

Played – 7

Mohun Bagan Super Giant – 2

Bengaluru FC – 1

Draws – 4

Trivia: Bengaluru FC has failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their seven encounters against the Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the ISL.

Team Talk

Ferrando said, “Maybe, you are talking about the system but the plan is not the same. For me, the most important thing is the plan of the match. What we play against Odisha and Punjab FC, it’s not the same way we play against Bengaluru FC. The plan is different from Bengaluru FC. We have not got a lot of time to prepare the team because we have a lot of matches in a short time but I think it’s necessary to control a lot of details in ourselves (style of play). It’s important we keep in our mind the plan so that we have success.”

“It’s very early in terms of analysing our performances too much. It was a tough game in Kerala – always is for most teams but also because of the rivalry between the two clubs. It was not an easy game for us. I think we analysed what we need to do better both in possession and out of possession. Wednesday night is going to be a tough game for us because Mohun Bagan Super Giant have probably got the strongest squad in the league,” Bengaluru tactician Simon Grayson touched upon his team’s performance in the previous game.

Where to Watch

Viacom18 is the new home of Indian football and the match between Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Bengaluru FC will kick off at prime time of 8 PM on September 27, 2023. Fans across the country can catch the action in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam. Fans can watch the action on linear channels like Sports18 Khel (Hindi), Sports18 1 SD & HD (English), VH1 SD & HD (English), Surya Movies (Malayalam), DD Bangla & Colors Bangla Cinema (Bengali).

In addition to this, as part of FSDL’s partnership with OneFootball, ISL live streams and highlights of all matches of the upcoming 2023-24 season will be delivered across more than 190 countries.

ISL Fantasy: Matchweek 1 – Roundup

Highest Score – Manager Manav Gambhir leads the leaderboard in ISL Fantasy after the opening matchweek with 74 points.

Average Score – Players amassed an average score of 29.7 in the game post the first five games.

Top Picks – Jorge Pererya Diaz emerged as the hottest pick in the game from the first set of matches following his incredible twin strikes against the Highlanders away from home.

Players to Watch Out – Indian youngsters such as Liston Colaco, Parthib Gogoi, and Akash Sangwan along with Kerala’s Japanese star Daisuke Sakai and Mohun Bagan’s Dimitri Petratos are the players one should secure in the team for the chance of yielding optimum returns in Matchweek 2.

If not registered already, fans can participate in the overall league or club-based leagues based on their preferences. Create private leagues, inviting friends and fellow football aficionados to compete. Prizes include a Sony PlayStation®️5 gaming console, EA Sports FC 24, signed club merchandise, and a Gift Card worth INR 20,000, which will be awarded to 100 winners at the end of the season. Sign up at: https://fantasy.indiansuperleague.com/