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Preview, Match 51: Mumbai face do-or-die battle against Chennaiyin

Chennaiyin FC take on Mumbai City FC in the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday in what will be their last home game of the league stage. Mumbai head into Tuesday’s crunch tie knowing fully well that they must win to remain in the semis hunt. The Super Machans, on the other hand, will be in the fray even if they lose to Mumbai. However, then they will have to beat FC Pune City in their next match and hope NorthEast United lose to the Stallions and that Mumbai fail to get full three points against Atletico de Kolkata. Chennai and Mumbai lie on opposite sides of the form guide with Mumbai having taken three points out of their last 18, whereas the Super Machans are one of the form teams of the league at the moment with back-to-back wins and eight goals in the process.

Form Guide (Last 5 matches)

Chennaiyin FC: L-L-L-W-W

Mumbai City FC: D-D-L-L-D

Head-to-Head: Mumbai City FC have never beaten Chennaiyin FC in the Hero ISL. They lost 5-1 and 3-0 against the Super Machans last year and also lost 2-0 at the DY Patil Stadium earlier this season.

Bernard Mendy vs Sunil Chhetri

Bernard Mendy’s dominant presence at the back for the Super Machans will be key if Chennai are to maintain their late surge to the Top 4. Mendy has hardly put a foot wrong all season and has made 23 tackles and 52 clearances for his side this year. The veteran defender is also a threat in the opponent’s penalty area and has already scored once in Hero ISL 2015.

Mumbai City FC will be pinning their hopes on the shoulders of India’s all-time top goal-scorer Sunil Chhetri who also happens to be the leading scorer for Mumbai this season. Chhetri’s clinical finishing and ability to create chances for his team-mates makes him one of the most potent attacking threats for his team.

Raphael Augusto vs Juan Aguilera

Raphael Augusto has been one of the most influential players at the centre of the park for the southern-outfit. The 24-year-old has the most number of completed passes (567) amongst Chennai players, and is second only to FC Goa’s Leo Moura in the league. Augusto has also made more interceptions than any other Chennaiyin player and has scored once for his team.

Juan Aguilera will be absolutely key to Mumbai’s chances of a win on Tuesday. Aguilera’s solid performance in the 1-1 draw against Kerala Blasters FC last week saw him bag the Hero-of-the-Match Award. The veteran Spaniard’s poise and comfort when in possession has seen him score once and provide two assists for Mumbai in Season 2.

Stiven Mendoza vs Frantz Bertin

Stiven Mendoza has been in spectacular form this season. He is the top-scorer of Hero ISL 2015 with 10 goals to his credit. The Colombian’s electrifying pace has terrorised opposition defences this season. Mendoza’s vision with the ball at his feet in the final third has also seen him provide two assists this year.

Frantz Bertin will have his work cut out against an all attacking Chennaiyin side that has scored on eight occasions in their last two matches. Bertin has been solid for Mumbai all season and has made 29 tackles for his team so far. He also has a passing accuracy of 91% and has scored once from a corner this season.

Quotes:

I said after the Kolkata game [which Chennaiyin FC lost 2-1], everything depended on us. Our guys did well in creating chances [after winning against Kerala and Delhi]. And now that they’ve learned a lesson, they’ll go for the third chance tomorrow: Chennaiyin FC head coach Marco Materazzi

Mathematically, we still have a chance to qualify, so we’ll be playing to win the game. We need to play our best, the players need to believe in themselves: Mumbai City FC marquee player-cum-coach Nicolas Anelka

Squads:

Chennaiyin FC: Karanjit Singh, Nidhin Lal, Apoula Edel Bete, Éder Monteiro Fernandes, Justin Stephen, Bernard Mendy, Abhishek Das, Lalhmangaihsanga Ralte, L. Dhanachandra Singh, Mehrajuddin Wadoo, Mailson Alves, Alessandro Potenza, Gilbert Oliveira, Elano Blumer (marquee player), Godwin Franco, Thoi Singh, Harmanjot Khabra, Raphael Augusto, Bruno Augusto Pelissari de Lima, Zakeer Mundampara, Manuele Blasi, Fikru Teferra Lamessa, Jayesh Rane, Jeje Lalpekhlua, Balwant Singh, John Stiven Mendoza Valencia

Mumbai City FC: Subrata Paul, Albino Gomes, Debjit Majumder, Kinshuk Debnath, Darren O’Dea, Pavel Čmovš, Keegan Pereira, Lalchhuanmawia Fanai (Chhuantea), Frantz Bertin, Rowilson Rodrigues, Aitor Fernandez Lopez, Gabriel Fernandes, Juan Aguilera Nunez, Brandon Fernandes, Selim Benachour, Cristian Bustos, Saran Singh, Pratesh Shirodkar, Sampath Kumar Kuttymani, Ashutosh Mehta, Singam Subash Singh, Nicolas Anelka (Marquee & Manager), Sony Norde, Sunil Chhetri, Frederic Piquionne

Impact Substitutes of ISL 2015

Out of the 146 goals scored in the 2015 Hero Indian Super League so far, twenty-two have been scored by substitutes. These substitutes have made a profound impression on the game coming off the bench. In fact, the only team not to have a substitute score a goal is Chennaiyin FC. Delhi Dynamos FC, second team to reach the semi-finals this season, and NorthEast United FC currently lead the way for goals scored by substitutes with six goals from 12 and 13 matches respectively. Defending champions Atlético de Kolkata, first to make it to the semis, and Kerala Blasters FC are second with three goals apiece. Following them are FC Goa - the third team to have secured a place in the semis - with two substitute goals. Mumbai City FC and FC Pune City have one substitute goal each.

What perhaps is more surprising than the number of substitutes that have scored this season is the massive impact their goals have had on the game. Let’s take a glance at some of the most stunning cameos in Hero ISL 2015 to date.

Antonio German and Arata Izumi – It was a tale of two substitutes when Kerala played Kolkata for the second time this season on November 10. Antonio German came off the bench to replace an injured Sanchez Watt and completely changed the course of the match by scoring equalisers twice in the game. His feat, however, was matched by another substitute Arata Izumi who scored twice himself to hand the reigning champions a 3-2 win in Kochi.

Gustavo dos Santos – Another player who has got into the habit of scoring after coming off the bench this season is Delhi Dynamos FC’s talismanic Brazilian, Gustavo dos Santos. The pacey youngster has indeed earned Delhi six points this season having netted late winners against hosts Atlético de Kolkata and hosts NorthEast United FC after being thrown on as a substitute.

Richard Gadze – Delhi’s Ghanaian striker, Richard Gadze has been one of the impact players of the season. Three of his four goals have come as a substitute this season. The robust frontman has scored winners against FC Pune City and Kerala Blasters FC. He also hammered in a brilliant left-footed effort against Atlético de Kolkata after being summoned off the bench to earn his side a point in a 1-1 draw in Delhi.

Simao – Delhi Dynamos FC were at the receiving end against NorthEast United FC in New Delhi. The game was poised on a knife’s edge after a free-kick had been awarded to NorthEast United FC when head coach Cesar Farias started waving frantically at the fourth official, trying to bring on Simao. The Venezuelan’s wish was granted much to the dismay of Silas who was withdrawn for Simao. As it happened, the Portuguese maestro stepped up and curled his free-kick past Antonio Doblas with nonchalance to bring smiles to everyone in the NorthEast United FC camp. The goal helped the Highlanders take one point from the match.

Silas – As luck would have it, it was the other way around a week later in Chennai. This time it was Simao making way for Silas. The Portuguese midfielder came on to replace his fellow countryman and kept to the script by netting the winner in a tight game against Chennaiyin FC to hand Farias’ men all three points.

One can see how important these substitute goals have been, especially for teams like Atlético de Kolkata and Delhi Dynamos FC. Izumi’s match-winning brace was the beginning of the revival of ATK’s campaign as they took 10 points over the next four matches to seal themselves a place in the semis. Dos Santos’ strike against the Highlanders also led to Delhi’s qualification. Clearly, the role of substitutes in football hasn’t diminished one bit.