ISL 2022-23: Hyderabad FC and ATK Mohun Bagan look to regain lost ground after stumbling last week
A repeat of last season’s playoff semifinals will pit ATK Mohun Bagan against defending champions Hyderabad FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 match on Saturday.
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FollowATK Mohun Bagan and Hyderabad FC will square off in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 game at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Saturday, in a rematch of the playoff semifinals from the previous season. The men in yellow defeated the Mariners and won the championship that time. The men of Juan Ferrando will be aiming for atonement this time.
ATK Mohun Bagan's last game was a disaster as they conceded three goals to FC Goa last week. In addition, the Mariners scored zero goals for the first time all year. The last time that occurred, the Mariners fell 1-0 to Jamshedpur FC in the final league encounter of the 2021–22 campaign.
Ferrando might not change his starting XI despite the result of the previous game. Liston Colaco, Dimitri Petratos, and Manvir Singh had been a strong front three all season, but they struggled in Goa to establish their groove. The absence of midfielder Joni Kauko, whose night ended prematurely in the previous game owing to a knee injury that has kept him out for a considerable amount of time, will be Ferrando's main worry.
"We are thinking of the present and the next match. Of course, the FC Goa result was quite disappointing for everyone, but that was five days ago," said Ferrando. "The most important thing now is the game tomorrow. It's a new opportunity to take three points, and we will be ready for it," he added.
The matchup with Kerala Blasters last week saw Hyderabad FC lose its unbeaten streak. After the goalkeeper sustained a knee injury, the defending champions began a match without Laxmikant Kattimani for the first time this year.
The team just announced that the shot-stopper will miss the remainder of the campaign due to injury. The 33-year-old enjoyed a fantastic start to the season, with four shutouts in his first six contests. In his absence, Anuj Kumar will protect the goal for them.
“I expect a very difficult game. They have quality foreign players and quite a few young Indian players who are already a part of the national team,” said Hyderabad FC head coach Manolo Marquez. “It will be a very difficult game for us and also for them because, in this league, any team can beat you. It can be a good game between two good teams. Let’s see what happens,” he added.
The head-to-head record between these two sides does not favour the defending champions, as they have won just one game out of the eight played. However, that one victory came in the playoff semifinals last season, which helped Hyderabad FC win the title. The Mariners have won thrice, and four matches have ended in draws.
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