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Three vital points at stake as ISL champions Mumbai City FC host Odisha FC at the Fatorda tonight.
After snapping a seven-game winless run with a clinical win against Chennaiyin FC, the Islanders are back in action. Des Buckingham’s Mumbai City FC will take on Odisha FC later tonight as the two sides clash at Fatorda with action kicking off at 7:30 PM.
Winless for 53 days, normal services resumed for the Islanders exactly seven days ago. The Islanders had last won a game on December 15 – a 1-0 win against Chennaiyin FC with the winner coming in the 86th minute courtesy of Rahul Bheke. It was almost poetic that Des Buckingham’s side’s fortunes would return against the same opposition and most notably, in similar fashion. After seeing attack after attack thwarted for the best part of the night, Mumbai City seemed to be heading towards the longest winless run in the club’s history but it was substitute Vikram Partap Singh who brilliantly took a touch off Brad Inman’s cross before slotting the ball past Debjit Majumder with his weaker left foot in the 85th minute to give the Islanders a clutch 1-0 win.
Odisha come into today’s tie sitting a point behind the Islanders having played a game more. The Juggernauts have seen a mixed bag of a season, one which saw the departure of head coach Kiko Ramirez midway through the campaign. Assistant coach Kino Garcia has since taken over the reigns at Odisha FC and has overseen two wins, two draws and a solitary loss in his time as interim head coach as today’s visitors come into the clash off the back of a 2-1 win against SC East Bengal.
With three important points on the line, Des Buckingham’s boys will be looking to strengthen their credentials for a strong finish to the league stage as we enter the business end of the 2021-22 campaign.
Mumbai City FC head coach Des Buckingham said, “The last three games in particular performance wise, I’ve been pleased with. And now it’s important that we take that momentum into the next six. And if we can perform and work the way we have and continue to create the chances that we have, I’m convinced that we’ll come away from those games with more results than not.”
The game will kick off at 7.30pm IST and will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network, Hotstar, and Jio TV for all viewers in India.
