Picture Credit: SportsTiger
Indian Football League Fantasy Tips: Mumbai vs Mohun Bagan
Date: 28 February, 2021
Time: 7:30 PM IST
Venue: GMC Stadium, Bambolim
Live Commentary: SportsTiger App
Preview
The day of reckoning has finally arrived in the Indian Football League. Mumbai and Mohun Bagan have been at loggerheads to be crowned the best team in the land since the start of the season. Ahead of the final game of the league phase, it is still undecided between them.
Essentially, the meeting on Sunday acts as a final for the league winners’ shield. Whoever wins, will be crowned champions of the league phase and earn the coveted berth for the AFC Champions League. Safe to say it is indeed a blockbuster climax ahead of the make-or-break semi-final fixtures.
Key Players
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Team News
Mumbai
Hugo Boumous will be unavailable owing to his four-match suspension that ends after the final league game on Sunday. Mumbai are also sweating on the availability of Rowllin Borges, who limped off with an injury after coming off the bench in the last game.
Sergio Lobera rested the likes of Mandar Rao Dessai and Hernan Santana during the win over Odisha, but the duo are expected to return in defence on Sunday. Bartholomew Ogbeche is likely to lead the line in attack.
Mohun Bagan
The Mariners are unlikely to make wholesale changes to their side. Antonio Habas knows his best possible line-up and might as well stick to it.
Marcelinho was absent from the squad in the last game and if he returns to full fitness, the Brazilian could start ahead of Javi Hernandez. Every other position seems well settled and the onus will be once again on Roy Krishna to deliver the goods at the top.
Analysis
It all seemed like Mumbai were adamant about throwing their supremacy away towards the end of the season. However, Sergio Lobera and company snapped out of consecutive defeats in sparkling style. The Islanders did not do it the easy though. They trailed to an early goal from Diego Mauricio before smashing six goals past Odisha in the last outing.
Without the shadow of a doubt, Bipin Singh’s hat-trick and the goal-fest grabbed all the headlines. More importantly for Mumbai, it also set up a blockbuster finale with Mohun Bagan. Mumbai ran out winners in the reverse fixture and will be determined to settle for nothing else.
Well this is the land of the Antonio Habas, isn’t it? No manager has enjoyed success on these shores like him. The Spaniard has been at it again, quietly delivering what is expected of him. There has been the occasional roar too, but primarily it is about getting the job done. That’s what makes Mohun Bagan so dangerous as well, the Mariners can never be ruled out.
Although they endured a blip against Hyderabad in the last game, they still managed to walk away with a point in the end. The five-game winning streak might have ended, but the confidence and desire still remain. There are no second chances now, it is literally do-or-die in terms of securing the prestigious AFC Champions League berth. Who will blink first?
Team 1
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Team 2
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Probable Playing XI
Mumbai – Amrinder Singh (GK); Amey Ranawade, Mourtada Fall, Hernan Santana, Mandar Rao Dessai, Ahmed Jahouh, Raynier Fernandes, Bipin Singh, Adam Le Fondre, Jackichand Singh, Bartholomew Ogbeche
Mohun Bagan – Arindam Bhattacharja (GK); Pritam Kotal, Sandesh Jhingan, Tiri, Subhasish Bose, Lenny Rodrigues, Carl McHugh, Manvir Singh, Marcelinho/Javi Hernandez, David Williams, Roy Krishna
Best 14
Goalkeepers: Amrinder, Arindam
Defenders: Fall, Tiri, Kotal, Mandar
Midfielders: Jahouh, Manvir, Bipin, Marcelinho
Forwards: Ogbeche, Krishna, Le Fondre, Williams
Disclaimer: The fantasy tips and facts expressed within this article are personal opinion of the author. They do not reflect the views of SportsTiger. It is not a reflection of the actual points you might earn. SportsTiger does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
