Mumbai City vs Jamshedpur: Preview and Prediction
Reigning shield winners Jamshedpur and Mumbai City will cross swords in ‘Match 13’ of the 2022-23 Indian Super League season on Saturday at the Mumbai Football Arena. It will be fair to say this match will be a battle between two prime title contenders in the ongoing ISL season.
Having won one of their first two matches of the season, Mumbai City is placed second in the standings with four points to their name and only behind Hyderabad due to an inferior goal difference. Jamshedpur meanwhile suffered a loss from a winning position against Odisha and is currently ninth in the table with only one game played.
Head coach Des Buckingham had expressed contentment with the Citizen’s performance in the first two games of the season. However, the Islanders did not arguably look convincing in their gameplay for a major portion of both these matches.
It is important that they brush aside any rustiness and get in the groove swiftly in order to avoid slipping down. Moreover, Mumbai City plays at the Arena for just the second time after two seasons and they will be excited to put up a spirited performance in front of the West Coast Brigade.
Jamshedpur will look to bounce back from their disappointing loss and start with their title defense of the season with this game. They would want to make a statement with a commanding win.
The league has seen enough one-season wonders and Aidy Boothroyd‘s boys have the job to build up on the work done by former coach Owen Coyle. The season is going to be a crucial one for the Reds to establish themselves among the big teams of the league.
The club has seen some important players shifting base. The list includes stalwart Greg Stewart and young prodigies Mobashir Rahman and Narender Gahlot. But the management has managed to retain the core of the team with some fine recruitments. So it’ll be a ground check for the team that looks more balanced on paper than last season.
This game will also see Greg Stewart face his former team for the first time since moving away from his previous club. Stewart helped the Red Miners win the League Winners’ Shield last season and was rewarded with the Player of the League prize for his efforts. But he moved to Mumbai City in the summer and his presence will give this game an extra edge.
Current Form
The Islanders started the 2022/23 ISL campaign against a formidable Hyderabad side in a highly entertaining clash that ended 3-3. Mumbai City put in an exceptional attacking performance against the reigning ISL Champions and continued in the same dynamic fashion they showed during the 2022 Durand Cup.
In their next game, Mumbai City secured their first win of the 2022/23 ISL season, with a 2-0 win over Odisha in what was the first game at the Mumbai Football Arena in nearly 3 years. An exciting affair ensued in which Mumbai City scored 2 decisive goals thanks to their front line of Stewart, Chhangte and Bipin, who made the difference.
Meanwhile, Jamshedpur suffered heartbreak after a 2-3 loss against Odisha in the first match of the ISL 2022-23. The Aidy Boothroyd-managed side went down in spite of an early lead as the visitors ensured a late comeback.
Head-to-Head Record
Chennaiyin and Goa have faced each other in 11 matches in the Indian Super League. Out of these 11 games, the Red Miners have registered five wins whereas the Islanders have come out victorious on three occasions. Only two matches have ended in a draw.
Last season, Mumbai recorded a 4-2 win in the exact fixture in December 2021 whilst Jamshedpur won the reverse fixture by a 3-2 margin in February early this year. Mumbai’s new recruit Stewart had scored twice in that game for the Red Miners along with Ritwik Das. Meanwhile, Rahul Bheke and Diego Mauricio were on the scoresheet for the Citizens.
Team News
Buckingham has arguably made one of the most astute signings of the season when he signed Greg Stewart, who won the Player of the League award last season and will take centre stage in terms of scoring and creating goals.
The Islanders have also added four new foreign players Rostyn Griffiths, Alberto Noguera, Jorge Pereyra Diaz, and Greg Stewart, while Mourtada Fall and Ahmed Jahouh remain vital cogs of the team.
Alberto Noguera’s presence alongside Indian players like Apuia, Vinit Rai, and Rowllin Borges will undoubtedly improve their creativity upfront, with Noguera being of paramount importance in the middle of the park. Overall, Mumbai City appears to be ready to rumble side, with several experienced players in Buckingham’s desired positions.
Jamshedpur will most likely line up in a 4-3-3 formation. The man in front of the post will be Rehenesh TP, and the back four are expected to be Eli Sabia, Peter Hartley, Laldinliana Renthlei, and Ricky Lallawmawma.
Jitendra Singh, Wellington Priori, and Farukh Choudhary are expected to play as a midfield trio, with Daniel Chima Chukwu, Ritwik Das, and Seiminlen Doungel as the front three.
Predicted Starting XIs
Mumbai City (4-4-2): Phurba Lachenpa; Rahul Bheke, Mehtab Singh, Mourtada Fall, Sanjeev Stalin; Lallianzuala Chhangte, Ahmed Jahouh, Apuia, Bipin Singh; Greg Stewart, Jorge Pereyra Diaz
Jamshedpur (4-3-3): TP Rehenesh; Eli Sabia, Peter Hartley, Laldinliana Renthlei, Ricky Lallawmawma; Jeetender Singh, Wellington Priori, Farukh Choudhary; Daniel Chima Chukwu, Ritwik Das, Seiminlen Doungel
Prediction
Mumbai City was able to build on their draw with champions Hyderabad as they clinched a 2-0 success against Odisha. They will hope to add to their tally of four points from a possible six as they host Jamshedpur, a side that comes into this on the back of a loss to Odisha in their only game so far this season.
They were impressive on the road last season and won four of their last five but Mumbai was unbeaten in their last five home games and has started promisingly, the hosts are favoured to claim at least a point in this contest.