ISL 2022-23: Hyderabad FC aiming to lock 2nd place as ATK Mohun Bagan desperate to gain acceleration
ISL 2022-23: A Matchday 19 commitment will be held on Tuesday, as Hyderabad FC will be hosting ATK Mohun Bagan. While the former would be aiming to seal its second place, the latter is desperate to gain momentum in the playoffs race.
FollowDefending champion Hyderabad FC (HFC) needs only two points from its remaining three games to confirm a second-place finish in the 2022-23 Indian Super League (ISL) but will be wary of an ATK Mohun Bagan (ATKMB) team that will be desperate for momentum when they visit the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
The Mariners were placed relatively comfortably in the playoff spots for most of the season but have managed only a triumph in their previous five matches. They've managed to hold on to a place in the top four but were equalled on points by former champion Bengaluru FC (BFC) this past weekend. However, they have a game in hand against BFC. They will be looking to restore an advantage on the board to avoid jitters in the closing stages, where they face HFC and Kerala Blasters (KBFC) before the Kolkata derby to end this phase.
One of ATKMB's most significant concerns at the moment is its goalscoring. In the five-contest period, it has managed only three goals - last week, it played out a goalless draw against Jamshedpur FC (JFC) - and all of the goals have come from Dimitri Petratos. Only a couple of teams - the bottom two - have scored fewer goals than ATKMB's 20 this season, and of those, 12 have come from Petratos, and Hugo Boumos combined. As he looks for a turnaround, the lack of contributions from elsewhere is likely a critical challenge that head coach Juan Ferrando is pondering.
"Honestly, I'm thinking more about getting the three points to fight for the third position. I'm not considering if [we'll fall] out of the playoffs. It is not our mentality. Our mentality is to travel to Hyderabad, get three points, and fight for the third position. On Saturday, Kerala Blasters lost against Bengaluru - it's a good opportunity for us because if we get three points on Tuesday, we'll have a final for the third position [against Kerala Blasters]. It is our mentality. That's how everybody is thinking," said Ferrando.
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HFC and head coach Manolo Marquez will have been concerned after losing to Odisha FC (OFC) last week. It was the first time since their season opener against former champion Mumbai City (MCFC) that the defending champion conceded three goals in a game. Its next opponent was the last team to beat it before its OFC result - on November 26. HFC had managed only a shot on target in that reverse fixture and will be looking to play with more freedom with the knowledge that the ISL League Shield chase is now over for it.
"At this moment, every game is tough, and 5-6 teams are fighting for 4-5 slots - and to play against these teams is very difficult. I know they are in a difficult situation now, but all the people in the country who like football know that they're an excellent team and can beat all opponents. They are a good team, but we are difficult to beat when we do the right things," said Marquez.
These two teams have faced each other on seven instances, with ATKMB winning thrice and three draws. The only outright conquest for HFC against ATKMB came in the opening leg of last season's semi-finals.
