Preview: Mumbai City FC to aim for three points against an upbeat Al-Shabab FC

Mumbai City FC will be aiming for three points to keep their chances of reaching the knockout stage alive when they face Saudi Arabia side Al Shabab FC in their 2022 AFC Champions League group stage match at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Friday evening.

22 Apr, 2022

The Islanders, with one win, one draw and two losses, are currently at the third spot in Group B of the competition, with four points in their kitty. On the other hand, the local side is at the top, with 10 points from four matches, winning three and sharing the spoils in the remaining one.

While the local side have almost booked the ticket to the next round, the three other teams - Mumbai City FC, Al Jazira and Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya are involved in an intense competition to grab the second spot and enhance their chances of qualifying to the next round.

2022 AFC Champions League Form

Mumbai City FC - LWLD

The Islanders have scripted a historic win over Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in their second game of the campaign, marking the first win for an Indian club in the elite tournament. They played out a draw against Al Jazira in the previous game, but have lost the other two fixtures so far.

Al-Shabab - WWDW

The Saudi Arabia side have hardly set a foot wrong in the 2022 AFC Champions League so far, having won three and played out a 1-1 draw against Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya earlier on.

Head to Head

In the only meeting between these two sides previously, Al-Shabab inflicted a dominating 3-0 win over Mumbai City FC.

Also Read: We’ve taken some learnings from our last game against Al Shabab: Mumbai City FC’s Des Buckingham

Key Players

Mumbai City FC

Diego Mauricio

The Brazilian forward scored Mumbai City FC’s opening goal in their win over Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya earlier in the tournament. Despite not adding another one to his tally, he looked lethal in each of the games he played, especially in the previous one against Al Jazira. He is capable of posing a threat to Al Shabab in the upcoming game.

Ahmed Jahouh

Arguably the best player for Mumbai City FC in the campaign so far, Ahmed Jahouh’s towering presence at the heart of the midfield has been one of the main reasons for the club’s inspiring display. The playmaker binds the team together, occasionally playing defence splitting through balls to feed the attackers up-front.

Al Shabab FC

Ever Banega

The Argentine has been in fine form in the continental event, having scored a brace en-route Al-Shabab’s 3-0 win over Mumbai City FC in their season opener. With tons of experience under his belt, Ever Banega can rip apart Mumbai City FC’s defence, if the Islanders do not keep him under check.

Carlos Junior

The joint-highest top scorer in the ongoing competition with four strikes, the Brazilian forward has been emphatic for his side so far. With the strong home support backing them up, Al Shabab will be banking on Carlos Junior to bulge the net in Friday’s evening kick-off.