ISL: Bengaluru FC to lock horns with East Bengal in battle for top six berth

KOLKATA: Bengaluru FC will lock horns with East Bengal FC at the Salt Lake Stadium in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 on Sunday at 7:30 pm IST.

The Blues and the Red & Gold Brigade are ranked eighth and ninth in the points table respectively.

Bengaluru FC has 22 points from 20 games (with five wins, seven draws and eight losses), whereas East Bengal FC has 21 of them from the same number of matches, with five wins, six draws and nine losses. They are breathing down the neck of the sixth-placed Chennaiyin FC (24), and the Marina Machans have also participated in 20 fixtures, as per a press release from ISL.

The Gerard Zaragoza-coached side had played out a goalless draw against Odisha FC in their previous game. East Bengal FC, on the other hand, beat Kerala Blasters FC by 4-2 in Kochi to storm back into contention to qualify for the playoffs.

This was only their second win in their last five games, whereas Bengaluru FC has been hovering around the top-six for a considerable period now. They will be playing the two Kolkata teams, i.e. East Bengal FC and Mohun Bagan Super Giant in their last two matches, and hence there is a formidable challenge fronting them to test their mettle of making it to the playoffs.

*Key Players to Watch Out

Nishu Kumar (East Bengal FC)

Nishu Kumar has a duel success rate of 69.3 per cent in current ISL season, the second highest such rate among all Indian players in the competition to have contested at least 50 duels. He has made three blocks, won eight tackles, 11 interceptions, and averaged 23 passes per game at 73 per cent accuracy. Nishu has won 20 duels, 61 aerial ones, and also made 29 clearances in addition to 55 recoveries. Nishu has created 10 goal-scoring opportunities and also bagged a couple of assists, in what is a testament to the all-round performances that he has delivered on both ends of the pitch.

Javi Hernandez (Bengaluru FC)

Javi Hernandez has been a probing figure in the attacking half for Bengaluru FC. He has netted five times so far, averaging 24 passes per game at 77% accuracy this season. The Spaniard has taken 50 per cent of his attempted shots on target, making 24 successful dribbles, and creating 27 goal-scoring opportunities across 19 appearances. Hernandez has made 77 recoveries, won 94 duels, and made eight interceptions in addition to 10 clearances, and winning 11 aerial duels. He is Bengaluru FC's most prominent attacking threat and his contributions will be vital for them to have a positive outcome in the coming match.

*Head-to-Head

Played - 7

East Bengal FC - 3

Bengaluru FC - 3

Draws - 1

Team Talk

"We want to give our everything. We want to be motivated 100 per cent as it will be a fight till the end for the sixth position," East Bengal FC head coach Carles Cuadrat mentioned before the game.

"We want to be proactive. You never know what happens in a game. We want to be attacking and take three points from the game tomorrow," Bengaluru FC head coach Gerard Zaragoza said in the pre-match press conference.