Mohammedan SC vs Bengaluru FC lineups, team news, prediction & preview

The newly promoted Black Panthers will be hoping to record their second win against the Blues.

Indian Super League (ISL) club Mohammedan SC have a tough job on their hands ahead of their upcoming game against Bengaluru FC in matchweek 9. The Black Panthers will be hosting the Blues at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan stadium in Kolkata on Wednesday (27th November).

Mohammedan SC are coming off a disappointing 0-0 performance against fellow strugglers East Bengal FC in matchweek 8. They will be facing a wounded Bengaluru FC side who will be determined to get back to winning ways after their 2-2 draw against NorthEast United FC.

The Stakes

Mohammedan SC

Coming into this game on the back of three losses, a win and a draw in their last five matches, the club will be looking to record another clean sheet. The Black Panthers have been sloppy in the last few matches, and head coach Andrey Chernyshov will have to turn things around quickly in the upcoming games.

On the back of an international break, the club have had enough time to reflect and rebuild themselves ahead of another tough game. They will be facing a Blues side who will pose a huge threat to their defense and Chernyshov will be wary of the danger.

Another loss would be damning for the Black Panthers who are closer to the bottom of the ISL table than to the top six spots for the playoffs. A positive result against Bengaluru FC could be the kickstart that the club needs ahead of a tough run of fixtures in the league.

Bengaluru FC

The Blues are coming into this game having not recorded a win in their last two ISL outings. They are coming on the back of a come-from-behind 2-2 draw against a spirited NorthEast United FC. The game highlighted the defensive lapses that remain as the club misses starting right-back Nikhil Poojary through injury.

Despite their flying start this season, questions were asked of head coach Gerard Zaragoza and his team as they look to find their momentum again. A victory against MSC will be exactly the result the Spaniard and his players will be hoping for in matchweek 9. While there have been questions about Bengaluru’s attack in recent games, the game against MSC will be a great opportunity to silence those critics.

Team & Injury News

Mohammedan SC are going to miss midfielder Abdul Kadiri, who has been ruled out for the rest of the campaign with a collateral ligament tear.

Bengaluru FC are expected to make a game-time decision on the fitness of defender Nikhil Poojary, who hasn’t featured in their last two games.

Head-to-Head

This will be the fourth time Mohammedan SC and Bengaluru FC will face each other in their respective history. But here are how their encounters transpired in the past.

Matches Played – 3

Mohammedan SC wins – 0

Bengaluru FC wins – 3

Draws – 0

Predicted Lineups

Mohammedan Sporting (4-4-1-1)

Padam Chhetri (GK); Vanlalzuidika Chhakchhuak, Gaurav Bora, Florent Ogier, Zodingliana Ralte; Lalremsanga Fanai, Amarjit Kiyam, Mirjalol Kasimov, Makan Chothe; Alexis Gomez; Carlos Franca

Bengaluru FC (4-4-2)

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK); Chinglensana Singh, Aleksandar Jovanovic, Rahul Bheke, Naorem Roshan Singh; Rohit Danu, Alberto Noguera, Pedro Capo, F Lalremtluanga; Edgar Mendez, Sunil Chhetri

Players to Watch

Alexis Gomez (Mohammedan Sporting)

Alexis Gomez has been one of the brightest sparks for the Mohammedan Sporting side so far this season. The Spaniard brings a lot of energy and innovation to their attacking frontline. In his seven appearances this season, he’s scored one of Mohammedan’s three league goals so far.

The 24-year-old Argentinian attacker has been a menacing presence for the opposition defenders and will be the star man for his team once again. The impetus will be on him to rally the team against Bengaluru and build on their home advantage.

Clinical finishing and creativity will be essential for Gomez to ensure any chance of success for MSC this season. Tapping into his most prolific nature would allow the Argentine to cause trouble against a weakened Blues defense and record an unprecedented win.

Alberto Noguera (Bengaluru FC)

The 35-year-old Spaniard has been at the heart of all things positive for Bengaluru this season. Noguera was again the star turn for his team against NorthEast United FC after they went 1-0 down early in the first half. His shot from outside the box was too good for a diving Lachenpa to stop and gave his team a lift in difficult circumstances.

Apart from dictating play in the midfield, Noguera is often a silent operator whose work lies in the final result rather than stuffing the stat sheet. Despite being in his mid-30s, the Spaniard has developed an eye for finding the killer pass time and again while showing a tireless desire to retain possession.

Zaragoza has also emphasized Noguera’s role in recent weeks and credits the foreign players to be an integral part of the team’s fortunes this season.

Did you know?

• Mohammedan SC has played 4 home games in a row without recording a win.
• Bengaluru FC haven’t scored in 2 of their last 3 away games in the ISL this season.
• Mohammedan SC scores 1.67 goals in a match against Bengaluru FC and Bengaluru FC scores 2.67 goals against Mohammedan SC. (on average)

Telecast Details

The Mohammedan SC vs Bengaluru FC game will take place at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan stadium in Kolkata on Wednesday (27 November 2024). The game kicks off at 7:30 PM IST.

It will be shown live on Sports 18 and be available to watch online on Jio Cinema and Jio TV. International viewers can watch the game on the OneFootball app.

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