Bengaluru FC and Mohammedan SC will go head-to-head in the closing fixture of Matchweek 9 of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Wednesday.

Mohammedan SC are into their debut campaign in the top tier, but they have faced three losses in their last five matches, along with a victory and a draw each. Contrastingly, Bengaluru FC have bounced back strongly this season – winning five times and drawing twice, to accumulate 17 points from eight encounters and occupy the second place in the standings.

Currently, Bengaluru FC are locked in a close battle with the top-placed Mohun Bagan Super Giant, who have garnered the same tally as them – 17 points from eight games. The Blues can ill afford any complacency, as Mohammedan SC will be eager to pose a challenge, especially on their home turf. In their last outing, Mohammedan SC secured a point against a nine-man East Bengal FC in the Kolkata Derby. They would want to ride that momentum, go one step ahead, and garner the maximum points from this clash.

Mohammedan SC to address key areas

· Search for Home Win: Mohammedan SC have drawn once and lost thrice in their opening four clashes at home this season. No team has gone through the first five matches in their backyard without a win, a record that Andrey Chernyshov and his men will want to steer clear from, come Wednesday. They can take heart and confidence from the fact that Bengaluru FC’s only defeat this season came in an away game, which was against FC Goa.

· Sluggish Start: Mohammedan SC also tend to take some time to settle into the proceedings, since they have given away four goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches in ISL 2024-25. It is the highest by any team this season and they have to hold their ground early on since Bengaluru FC have also netted four times in this phase of the current campaign.

Promising signs for Bengaluru FC

· Points Galore: A victory in this matchup will mark only the second time (besides 23 points in 2018-19) that the Blues would bag 20+ points after their first nine games of an ISL season. The team has functioned as a cohesive unit under Gerard Zaragoza this term, scoring 13 goals and conceding only six, to maintain a fine stronghold over most matches.

· Need for Better Record against Debutants: Bengaluru FC have drawn and lost twice in their last five clashes when they have faced a team for the first time in the ISL. With this being the inaugural meeting between the two sides in the league, the Blues will hope to set this streak straight in their favour.

Coach’s Corner

“Bengaluru FC are very strong”

Mohammedan SC head coach Andrey Chernyshov heaped praise on Bengaluru FC and their playing style that has been prevalent this season.

“We will play against one of the best teams at the moment. They are very strong and have started the season perfectly. Their style of football makes them one of the best teams in the ISL,” Chernyshov said.

Read more from the Mohammedan SC pre-match press conference here.

“We had the whole squad training with us this week”

Bengaluru FC head coach Gerard Zaragoza said that his players worked on their technical and tactical movements during the international break.

“The break was good. We prefer playing matches but breaks help us look at things technically and tactically. The good thing is that we had the whole squad training with us this week,” Zaragoza said.

Read more from the Bengaluru FC pre-match press conference here.

Head-to-Head

This will be the first-ever match between the two teams in the ISL.

Key Players & Milestones

· Bengaluru FC’s Sunil Chhetri holds an impeccable record of scoring against each of the 14 sides he has faced in the ISL. If he finds the back of the net against Mohammedan SC, he will become the first player in the league’s history to do so against 15 different opponents. The Blues will want their seasoned striker to be at the top of his game.

· Mohammedan SC have found a creative force in Zodingliana Ralte, whose expected assists value of 0.91 in ISL 2024-25 is the highest among Indian players and third highest overall among players yet to provide an assist (Ezequiel Vidal – 1.78 & Rei Tachikawa 1.46). Ralte will want to begin contributing directly to goals moving forward.

· Mohammedan SC’s Franca and Bengaluru FC’s Jorge Pereyra Diaz have been caught offside seven and six times respectively this season. Will both the backlines employ a high defensive line to exploit this tendency of the star strikers tomorrow?

ISL Fantasy

Rahul Bheke (5cr)

The defender has earned the most ISL fantasy points (59) for Bengaluru FC this season

Mirjalol Kasimov (5.4cr)

The Mohammedan SC player has bagged the highest ISL fantasy points (38) for the team in 2024-25

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