Image Courtesy a Indian Super League Media Team.
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Delhi Dynamos FC
1900 IST, October 21, 2015
DY Patil Stadium, Navi, Mumbai
Match 17 of the Indian Super League (ISL) takes us to Mumbai, where the home team, Mumbai City FC faces a stiff challenge from Delhi Dynamos FC, at the DY Patil Stadium, on Wednesday.
The two teams are going into the match, from the two complete opposite spectrums of the table, as the highflying Dynamos get ready to face a Mumbai City FC team thata s is yet for find their feet in the competition.
While Delhi Dynamos FC have recovered well after an initial loss at the hands of FC Goa, in their first match of the season (going on to win the next three matches on the trot), Mumbai City FC have been anything but impressive, suffering heavy defeats at the hands of FC Pune City, and Chennaiyin FC, while getting a tame 0-0 draw at Kerala Blasters FC.
A win could see the Delhi Dynamos FC through to the top of the ISL table, while the same for Mumbai City FC would give them some breathing space, and some much needed momentum.
Team News and Tactical Brief: Mumbai City FC
Player-cum-coach Nicola Anelkaa s men have been lacklusture, and the former Chelsea forward would betrying to change that, come the fateful Wednesday night, at the DY Patil Stadium, in fron t of a home crowd that is rather anxious to see their team win for the first time, this season.
Their 0-2 disappointment at the hands sof Chennaiyin FC, in the last match is something that they would desparately be trying to overcome, and this mini-emergency might just prompt Anelka to throw himself into the mix, in the starting XI.
The likes of Sunil Chhetri, Subrata Paul, and Lalchhuanmawia Fanai were rather jaded last time round, as they were thrown into the mix right after returning from international duty. However, the India internationals would have had enough time to recover from that, as they get ready to face Delhi in their next match.
Probable Starting XI (4-3-3): Subroto; Fanai, Cmovs, Bertin, Ashutosh; Shirodkar, Gabriel, Benachour; Sony, Chhetri, Anelka.
Team News and Tactical Brief: Delhi Dynamos FC
The Dynamos on the other hand, have been on a roll, winning their last three matches, and going joint top of the table, with FC Pune City, on nine points. Theya ll be looking to capitalise on this momentum to keep their juggernaut rolling forward, and take a clear-cut lead in the table.
However, their main worry would be the fact that they had just two days to recover from a gruelling game at the Kerala Blasters FC, where Roberto Carlosa men left it late to score an 87th minute winner.
We could expect some changes in the Delhi Dynamos FC side, in this match, but Carlos would be careful not to make too many of them, lest he disturbs the momentum created by his team. One change that could clearly help Delhi Dynamos FC is starting with 21-year-old Ghanaian forward Richard Gadze, instead of India international Robin Singh, who has done little other than jus tholding-up the ball.
Gadze on the other hand has been impressives, off the bench, in the last two matches, in which, he scored a goal each. He has been making the decisive runs into the box, and seems to have a good understanding from iconic winger Florent Malouda, who provided the exquisite cross for the youngster to nod in, angainst Kerala.
Prodbable Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Sanjiban; Riise, Chicao, Anas, Souvik; Sehnaj, Francis; Dos Santos, Mulder, Malouda; Gadze.
Prediction:
Mumbai City FC 2-3 Delhi Dynamos FC
Mumbai City FC has been shipping a lot of goals, lately and Delhi Dynamos FC are still reeling from a difficult match in Kerala, which means that there a lot of space might open-up on the pitch, as the game progresses. This match, although not exactly a high-octane sone, does promise to have a few sgoals in them, with the presence sof quality forwards like Chhetri, Sony, and Anelka for Mumbai City FC, and Gadze, Gustavo Dos Santos, and Malouda for Delhi Dynamos FC.