Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], November 8 : Chennaiyin FC will aim to carry their impressive away form from the 2024-25 season into their first home win as they take on Mumbai City FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Saturday.
This fixture also marks a milestone as the 1000th game in the Indian Super League (ISL), adding to the anticipation for home fans.
The 'Marina Machans' will face a team just one spot below them in the standings, who come into the game unbeaten in their last four league matches, with two wins and two draws.
A victory would lift Chennaiyin FC (CFC) up to second place in the table before the international break, making the 1000th game an unforgettable occasion for Chennaiyin supporters. Head coach Owen Coyle emphasized this in his pre-match press conference on Friday.
"Tomorrow's the 1000th game in the Indian Super League - what a fantastic achievement for the league, seeing how it's progressed, developed, and given young Indian players an opportunity. We're proud to be part of it, representing Chennaiyin against a very good team in Mumbai, and we have to ensure we're at our best. We're looking forward to it," Coyle told the media in Chennai as quoted from a press release by the club.
The CFC have been on the road for five of their first seven matches this season, recording three wins and two draws. Coyle addressed this in his comments, explaining how the team plans to maximize points over the season.
"We've done well away because we've had five away games. We've only had two games at home! We could have won the first game against Mohammedan and played very well against a strong FC Goa side. What we need to do is continue performing to our potential," Coyle added.
"This is a new group. The more we work together, the better we'll become. Ultimately, over the season, it's not about home or away--it's about the collective, gathering enough points to stay in the competition. And that's what we have to keep aiming for," he remarked.
Saturday's clash will be the 21st meeting between Chennaiyin and Mumbai in ISL history, with CFC looking for their seventh win in this fixture.