XtraTime Web Desk: Reigning champions Chennaiyin FC travel to Kolkata to take on two-time Hero Indian Super League (ISL) winners ATK in an exhilarating fixture at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Friday.
Both sides have won the Hero ISL twice and have a very competitive head-to-head record, sharing an equal number of wins, losses and draws. Fans have always witnessed a great match of football when the two sides have locked horns, however, both teams have made slow starts to the ongoing campaign and will be looking for maximum points to rejuvenate their title aspirations.
ATK haven’t made the start they expected, claiming just four points from a possible 12 in their first four games. They return home after playing two matches on the road having drawn one and winning the other. However, it is their home form that has let them down this season having lost both games in front of their fans without even scoring a goal. Head coach Steve Coppell will be desperate for their first point at home when they go up against Chennaiyin.
Coppell though will have to take care of his side’s defensive issues at home. His side has faced 23 shots so far, 13 of which were from inside the box. Coming to the positives, midfielder Manuel Lanzarote has played a pivotal part in ATK’s last two matches having been involved in all three goals. Kalu Uche is likely to feature after he was kept out in the previous match due to a minor knock. The Nigerian’s presence was surely missed, and his return could make the difference for ATK in attack.
The defending champions are yet to register a win this season and have just one point from 12. The South-Indian outfit have had their worst start to a Hero ISL campaign and are languishing at the bottom of the table in ninth place. One of the major reasons behind their unsatisfactory start is their woeful finishing. Chennai have scored just four times from 48 attempts on goal. In their previous match against Delhi, they took 17 shots but failed to find the back of the net.
John Gregory’s men have bettered themselves defensively though after putting on an abysmal display against NorthEast United when they bottled a two-goal lead, eventually losing 4-3. But, they did improve in the next game against Delhi Dynamos FC as a defensive unit. They faced just two shots and made 21 successful tackles out of the 25 attempted. Having said that, Gregory will need his forwards to be more clinical in front of goal, if they want to successfully defend their Hero ISL crown.
Probable line-ups:
ATK: Arindam Bhattacharja(GK), Airborlang Khongjee, Gerson Vieira, John Johnson, Ricky Lallawmawma, Pronay Halder,Komal Thatal, Manuel Lanzarote (C), Everton Santos, Balwant Singh, Kalu Uche
Chennaiyin FC- Karanjit Singh (GK), Francisco Fernandes, Inigo Calderon (C), Eli Sabia, Jerry Lalrinzuala, Anirudh Thapa, Andrea Orlandi, Thoi Singh, Raphael Augusto, Issac Vanmalsawma, Carlos Salom.