Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 2 : A thrilling contest is set to unfold as Mumbai City FC (MCFC) hosts Kerala Blasters FC (KBFC) at the Mumbai Football Arena in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 on Sunday. The Islanders (MCFC), eager to bounce back after a draw in their last match against Odisha FC, are determined to avoid a second consecutive defeat to Kerala Blasters FC--a streak they haven't experienced since the 2021-22 season.
With Mumbai City FC and Kerala Blasters FC tied closely in standings, every point counts, especially in the highly competitive race for the playoffs.
Mumbai City FC have recently faced challenges in breaking down defenses, netting fewer than two goals in each of their last two home matches. The Islanders haven't seen a goalless stretch of this sort since early 2023, and they'll be eager to rediscover their attacking form, a release said.
Although Mumbai City FC creates an impressive 2.6 big chances per game (second highest in the ISL), their big chance conversion rate of just 15.4% is the lowest. This game will be a crucial test of their finishing skills.
Kerala Blasters FC have gone 10 straight away games without a clean sheet, a trend they will need to fix quickly. Their defense will be tested by Mumbai's home advantage and scoring potential.
With 63.4% of their shots coming from inside the box, Kerala Blasters FC's attack will seek openings in Mumbai's backline, led by Noah Sadaoui and his league-high expected assists tally of 2.15.
Overall, Mumbai City FC hold the higher ground with nine wins from 20 meetings in comparison to Kerala Blasters FC's five wins. A total of six matches have ended in stalemates.
Mikael Stahre, the head coach of KBFC acknowledges that it was tough for his team to accept defeat in their last game against Bengaluru FC. However, he believes they are on the right track while he also focuses on avoiding individual errors, something which has troubled the team in recent times.
"Everyone was very disappointed after the defeat regrouping the team wasn't hard. Of course it was a tough loss and it took a few days but we are really energetic and optimistic for this upcoming game and we know it's going to be a hard one. I think we are on the right track though the defeat was really painful but in football sometimes that happens. We made individual errors and they are a part of the game but it is really important that we learn from our mistakes," Stahre said, according to the release.
With only a solitary win from their first five matches, the Islanders are off to an uncharacteristic slow start in ISL 2024-25. Petr Kratky also accepts that it is not an ideal scenario for Mumbai City FC but he is happy with the improvement that he has noticed with every game.
"It is not an ideal situation and we need to improve. For our standards, it is a slow start to the season. But on the other hand, we are getting better with every match and we have a bright future ahead of us," said the MCFC head coach, Kratky.
"We need to focus on every single area because all the areas are very important. All the areas of our football need to improve and they are happening slowly so I am happy," he added, as quoted by ISL.
Lallianzuala Chhangte is two goals away from becoming the second-highest goal scorer in club history. He is also two goal contributions away from becoming the joint-highest goal contributor for Mumbai in this competition.
Kerala Blasters FC's Noah Sadaoui has set up 14 chances this season, making him one of the most creative players on the field.
Mumbai City FC's Yoell van Nieff has been the fulcrum in the midfield for the Islanders. He has won back possession seven times per game in the ongoing ISL campaign, the highest aggregate accounted by a player with a minimum of two matches played.