Hyderabad, Feb 7 (IANS) Hyderabad FC will host Mohammedan SC in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium on Saturday. The hosts will look to recover from a 4-1 loss to NorthEast United FC while Mohammedan SC are seeking to end their struggles in front of goal, having netted the least number of times (8) in the competition thus far.
In the reverse fixture, Hyderabad FC notched a 4-0 victory on October 26, 2024. A victory here would result in Mohammedan SC becoming the eighth side against whom Hyderabad FC will record a league double in the competition.
As of now, Hyderabad FC are looking to regain their defensive touch, having given away multiple goals in both of their previous clashes. Their last longer such sequence was a run of five encounters from April-September 2024. However, the side has been resilient at home, since they have been unbeaten in their previous three home matches. They had bettered this only during their four-game-long unbeaten stretch on their home turf between December 2022 – February 2023.
Mohammedan SC have endured a tough beginning to their ISL journey, particularly from an offensive perspective, since they have not scored in 11 games this season. This record is only surpassed by NorthEast United FC (12 in 2017-18) and Hyderabad FC (13 in 2023-24).
Hyderabad FC have accumulated 13 points from their 18 encounters this season, drawing twice and winning once in their last five matches. They are placed at the penultimate spot in the points table. Mohammedan SC, too, boast of a similar record in their last five ISL encounters, but their two defeats have come on a bounce coming into this match, and they are positioned at the bottom of the standings
Hyderabad FC have netted 38 per cent of their goals (6 out of 16) in the opening 15 minutes of matches, which is the highest share among all teams. Three of those strikes, however, came in their 4-0 win against Mohammedan SC in the reverse game.
Hyderabad FC have conceded eight headed goals this season. Their aerial prowess, especially inside their defensive zone needs an urgent correction for them to work towards signing off from the season positively.
Before their 0-3 loss to Mumbai City FC on January 26, Mohammedan SC were on a four-game unbeaten streak. They had held high-scoring teams like Odisha FC (37) and NorthEast United FC (37) to goalless draws before beating Bengaluru FC by 1-0. Their current aim will be to try and get back in that shape again.
Mohammedan SC have recorded the fourth-most successful tackles (213) in the league this season. Mirjalol Kasimov (24) and Vanlalzuidika Chhakchhuak (23) have led the charts for them on this front. Kasimov is suspended from this match though.
Hyderabad FC interim head coach Shameel Chembakath said that his team has looked to develop in areas where they fell behind during their defeat to NorthEast United FC.
“We have worked on some areas where we lacked in our last match against NorthEast United FC. We have done some good recovery and worked on areas where we need to improve upon,” he said.
Mohammedan SC’s assistant coach Mehrajuddin Wadoo stressed on the importance of focusing on the present to get good results in the remaining games.
“I agree that the last game wasn’t good. We didn’t play well. We still have six more games to go and we are trying not to think too much of the past and instead focus more on the coming games,” he said.
–IANS
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