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Mumbai City FC will step out onto the pitch for the 20th time in the regular season tonight when they take on Hyderabad FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda in a late 9:30pm kick off.
After consecutive wins against SC East Bengal and FC Goa, the Islanders came undone. Mumbai City squared off against Kerala Blasters in a game where three points would have crucial implications in the race to finish in the top 4. Des Buckingham’s side started strongly and were even denied a seemingly stonewall penalty before the hosts assumed control of the game with the opening goal through Sahal. Mourtada Fall gave away a penalty on the stroke of half time which Alvaro Vasquez tucked away before adding his second on the night through a Mohammad Nawaz error in the second half. Diego Mauricio pulled one back from the spot but it wasn’t enough as the Islanders went down 1-3.
Hyderabad FC have proven to be a force to reckon with all season and were the first side to secure a place in the top four. Manolo Marquez’s side have showcased free-flowing, attacking football and have led the points table for large parts of the season. The Nizams also sit joint top of the scoring charts with 41 goals with nearly half coming through Bart Ogbeche. However, their three-game winning run was snapped in their last outing when a beleaguered Hyderabad FC went down 0-3 against table toppers Jamshedpur FC.
With qualification scenarios out of the Islanders’ hands, three points tonight are a necessity and Des Buckingham’s side will leave everything out there on the grass at the Fatorda before hoping and waiting for fate to play its hand.
Mumbai City FC head coach Des Buckingham said, “Hyderabad FC have shown that why they are where they are in the league. And it’s important that again we must go at them the way that we want to go at them. We have one regular season game left and it’s a real opportunity for us to go and put ourselves in the position that we want against a very good side.”
The game will kick off at 9:30pm IST and will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network, Hotstar, and Jio TV for all viewers in India.
