ISL 2023-24: Punjab FC eye campaign's first win against Chennaiyin FC

Three points will help either side in building momentum as the ISL season progresses.

Chennaiyin FC and Punjab FC will lock horns at the JLN Stadium in Chennai on 29 October 2023 in the upcoming Indian Super League fixture. Both sides have started the campaign poorly and will hope to secure three points to get their seasons up and running.

Owen Coyle’s CFC won their last game against Hyderabad FC on the road which will give them a morale boost heading into the match against Punjab FC. As for the visitors, the side is yet to win their first game of the season and would like to end the drought when the two teams meet on Sunday. 

Here is a look at what to expect from the Chennaiyin FC vs Punjab FC game:

The Stakes

Chennaiyin FC

Chennaiyin FC is under pressure to perform and win against Punjab FC as they play in their own backyard. Failing to win against a newly promoted side in the ISL will likely cause some sections of the fans to become impatient. Owen Coyle’s arrival as the head coach was seen as the perfect step towards trading punches with the league’s heavyweights but one win in four matches has given the CFC fans a reality check.

Punjab FC

Punjab FC were always going to punch above their weight after earning promotion into the ISL. The side is one of the two in the league without a win and must start securing victories in order to move upwards in the league table. Their last two matches have ended in draws which will give Staikos Vergetis’ men the belief to not come away empty-handed from the fixture against CFC.

Team News

Chennaiyin FC might miss Ninthoi Meetei. Punjab FC have a fit roster.

Head to Head

Total Matches Played - 2

Chennaiyin FC - 0

Punjab FC - 0

Draws - 2

Predicted Line-ups

Chennaiyin FC (4-4-2):

Debjit Majumder (GK), Bikash Yumnam, Lazar Cirkovic, Ryan Edwards, Aakash Sangwan, Ankit Mukherjee, Ayush Adhikari, Rafael Crivellaro, Farukh Chaudhary, Rahim Ali, Connor Shields

Punjab FC (4-3-3):

Ravi Kumar (GK), Khaimingthang Lhungdim, Melroy Assisi, Dimitris Chatziisaias, Nitesh Darjee, Brandon Vanlalremdika, Nikhil Prabhu, Amarjit Singh Kiyam, Juan Mera, Madih Talal, Luka Majcen

Players to Watch

Connor Shields (Chennaiyin FC)

Chennaiyin FC will rely on Connor Shields in the forward line to score goals. The striker notched the winner against Hyderabad FC to give the team all three points. However, the work by the striker was particularly noteworthy. He worked his socks off to press and chase every ball that came his way. His industry will play a major role in helping CFC win possession in the opponent’s half.

Ravi Kumar (Punjab FC)

Ravi Kumar has been the most consistent and impressive player in Punjab FC’s ranks. The custodian kept a clean-sheet in the fixture against Jamshedpur FC to help his team secure a point. He has made six saves already and will continue to play a major role for the club in the games to come. 

Did You Know?

• The upcoming game will be the first meeting in the ISL between Chennaiyin FC and Punjab FC.
• The 2023-24 season is the first for CFC’s Ryan Edwards away from Europe.
• Both CFC and PFC have scored only two goals in the ISL after four games.

Telecast

The kick-off for the Chennaiyin FC vs Punjab FC game is at 8:00 PM IST on 29 October 2023. The match will be played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai. The live broadcast and live streaming of the game will be available on the Sports18 Network (Sports18 1 Channel/VH1 Channel) and JioCinema app, respectively. Viewers from abroad can watch the game on OneFootball.