Jamshedpur, Jan 16: Playing possession-based football with efficiency in the final third, table toppers Mohun Bagan Super Giant will seek to unlock Jamshedpur FC’s propensity to hit on the counter, in a duel of two thriving teams in the Indian Super League here on Friday.
Mohun Bagan sit comfortably at the top of the points table, garnering 35 points from 15 matches with 11 victories and two draws to their name.
Jamshedpur are fourth, having won 27 points from 14 outings. Interestingly, they can bridge the gap with the Mariners with a prospective victory in this clash, since they have a game in hand as compared to the Jose Molina-coached team. Jamshedpur will look to further their three-game victorious streak, as the Mohun Bagan will pursue securing a league double over the Red Miners for the second straight season.
The last time the Red Miners went on a longer winning streak was in 2022, when they recorded seven consecutive victories, including a 1-0 win over Mohun Bagan. However, Jamshedpur have lost each of their last three ISL meetings with the Mariners, failing to score in the last two. Another defeat will equal their joint-longest losing streak against any opponent in ISL history.
Meanwhile, Mohun Bagan are in a purple patch upfront, scoring in each of their last 12 ISL games. A goal in this match will set a new record for the Mariners’ longest scoring streak in the competition. Having won the reverse fixture 3-0 on November 23, they will look to record consecutive league doubles over Jamshedpur.
Jamshedpur have permitted an average of 26.6 touches per game in their own penalty box this season, the highest of any team, while managing just 3.1 sequences of 10+ open play passes per game, the third lowest in the league.
They have developed a distinct style of play, which has seen them score 22 goals, and has covered over these aspects so far, but the Mariners will have their eye out on exploiting these areas.
Despite these challenges, Stephen Eze and Javi Siverio have excelled in aerial duels, winning 3.8 and 3.6 aerial duels per game, respectively, which is the highest in the league.
The Mariners will have their task cut out against Jamshedpur, since the Red Miners prefer stretching the opposition’s defences and delivering lateral balls, while Eze’s presence ensures that they aren’t vulnerable in defence when the opposition undertakes a similar route. (PTI)
