Preview: Jamshedpur FC, Bengaluru aim to build momentum

The Blues got the better of the Men of Steel in the previous meeting.

Jamshedpur FC will host Bengaluru FC at the JRD Tata Sports Complex on January 18 (Wednesday). The Men of Steel are coming off an ecstatic victory after a winless run of ten games. The fans are still in hangout of the victory as the team face an uphill task against the Blues. 

The Bengaluru based club, on the other hand, have two wins in a row. The hope for the prized six spots is still high for the visitors. Simon Grayson is well aware of the situation and so is Aidy Boothroyd. Irrespective of whoever comes on top, the battle will be a treat for the audience for sure.

The Stakes

Jamshedpur FC

The Men of Steel have got off to a forgetful season and are out of the playoffs race. They began their season with an unlucky defeat to Odisha FC and could not really get the momentum.

In the last game, they completely outplayed East Bengal and registered some good display for most parts of the game. Well, the good news for the Red Miners is that Ritwik Das is back in form and the new signings are delivering.

Bengaluru FC

Things aren’t very good with Bengaluru FC either. They’ve displayed good football, but small errors on a regular basis took the games away from them.

They began their domestic season with a triumph in the Durand Cup. But very soon Simon Grayson's side were handed a reality check in the league. Lately the team has looked different and seems to deliver on the expectations.

Injury & Team News

Jamshedpur FC's new signing Dylan Fox has a minor niggle. Apart from that Aidy Boothroyd will have a complete roster to choose from. Bengaluru FC on the other hand, will miss the services of Bruno Ramires, who as per our sources, is close to a comeback!

Head-to-Head

In 11 ISL outings, both the teams stand equal.

Jamshedpur FC - 4

Bengaluru FC - 4

Drawn - 3

Predicted Line-ups

Jamshedpur FC (4-2-3-1)

Vishal Yadav (GK); Laldinliana Renthlei, Eli Sabia, Pratik Chaudhari, Ricky Lallawmawma; Germanpreet Singh, Pronay Halder; Boris Singh, Rafael Crivellaro, Ritwik Das; Daniel Chima Chukwu

Bengaluru FC (5-3-2)

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK); Prabir Das, Alan Costa, Sandesh Jhingan, Parag Shrivas, Naorem Roshan Singh; Suresh Singh Wangjam, Javi Hernandez, Rohit Kumar; Roy Krishna, Sivasakthi Narayanan

Player to watch

Ritwik Das (Jamshedpur FC)

Jamshedpur had been desperately looking for some inspiration upfront. Their players too, performed well in patches. But none could really do the needful until Ritwik Das started impressing in the last two games. So, who better than the youngster to deliver it when the team needs to finish high?

The Indian winger arguably looked off-colour after impressing last season. He didn't notch a single goal in the first twelve matches. But a probable moment of magic from him in consecutive games turned the team’s momentum around altogether. He has already scored seven goals in his ISL career and will be aiming to increase the tally.

Sandesh Jhingan (Bengaluru FC)

The Indian centre-back has been a towering presence in Bengaluru FC's defence, constantly winning aerial duels and not shrugging away from a challenge or two. He should have a perfect understanding of compatriot Ritwik Das’s strengths and weaknesses. It's difficult to go past the hefty defender with ease as he rejoices gifting tough times to the attackers. Both Ritwik and Daniel Chima will have a hard evening if Jhingan delivers his A-game.

Did You Know?

• Bengaluru FC are yet to win at the Furnace.
• Aidy Boothroyd has previously managed the England U-21 side.
• Sandesh Jhingan got a chance to play for HNK Sibenik in Croatia (top division), but was unable to feature for them due to an injury.

Telecast

The kick-off time for the Jamshedpur FC vs Bengaluru FC game is 7:30 pm IST on 18th January (Thursday). The match will be played at the JRD Tata Sports Complex. The game will be telecasted live on the Star Sports Network. Disney+HotStar and JioTV will also stream the match.