Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) will tour to take on Punjab FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here in the Indian Super League (ISL) match on Saturday, at 5:00 pm
IST.
The game is critical for the chances of both teams to secure their respective objectives of the current season.
For starters, the Mariners have 39 points from 19 games, and they have a realistic chance of surpassing the top-placed Mumbai City FC for the League Winners Shield title. The Islanders
have 44 points from 20 matches, and these two teams square off once on April 15, which will
play a massive role in determining who finishes the league in first place.
The Mariners lost their previous match to Chennaiyin FC by 3-2 at the Salt Lake Stadium, significantly denting their hopes of catching up to Mumbai City FC. Similarly, Odisha FC
defeated Punjab FC by 3-1, which has complicated matters for both these teams.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant is a force to reckon with on the road, having garnered 22 points
in their away matches so far, which will keep Punjab FC on their toes in this encounter.
Punjab FC has not won any of its last three games at home, and a failure to get three points here will result in the team’s longest ever winless run there in the ISL. Despite the quality of forwards in their ranks, the team does need to bolster certain metrics to cause troubles to the tremendously gifted Mohun Bagan Super Giant squad.
The team has aggregated a dribble success rate of 41.7% in the current ISL season, which is the least amongst all teams. They have been diligent defensively though, having made 427 clearances in the current Indian Super League season, the highest of all teams and 95 more than Mohun Bagan Super Giant (332). 194 of Punjab FC’s clearances are headed clearances, also the most by any side in 2023-24. Mohun Bagan Super Giant will know that they cannot really impose their aerial threat on the league debutants in this match.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant has a chance to become the third team to do the league double over Punjab FC this season, after Odisha FC and Mumbai City FC, having won their previous game by a 3-1 margin in Kolkata. The Mariners have scored 40 goals this season, the most amongst all teams. They have netted at least thrice in each of their last two away matches.
Doing so once again here will result in their longest such streak in the history of the competition. Mohun Bagan Super Giant has won possession back 54.3 times per game in the current campaign, the second most often of all teams after FC Goa (57.6). The Mariners have won possession back 1,032 times over their 19 games in 2023-24, which promises an engaging encounter this time around.
French playmaker Madih Talal has had a breakout season with Punjab FC in the current campaign. He has scored five goals and assisted eight of them in 20 appearances, recording 13 goal contributions in total.
He has averaged 33 passes per game at 79% accuracy, completing 36 successful dribbles, making 41 key passes, and creating 49 goal-scoring chances. He has made 89 ball recoveries and won 127 duels too.
Talal has made five clearances, eight interceptions, won 10 aerial duels, and has been booked only twice until now. Having taken 18 shots on target, Talal will always be a threat for the Mohun Bagan Super Giant goal.
Joni Kauko of Mohun Bagan Super Giant has been a revelation ever since he joined the team midway through the season. He has scored once and assisted thrice in total in eight appearances so far.Averaging 30 passes per game at 74% accuracy, he has made five successful dribbles, seven key passes, and created 10 goal-scoring chances.
He has made four interceptions, six clearances, seven aerial duels, and also 36 recoveries. Kauko has hit three shots on target and also won 29 duels, playing an instrumental role in helping the team’s cause on both ends of the field.
“We are going to play one of the great clubs and the strongest team presently tomorrow. According to that, we will make plans for tomorrow, but we will be focused in our game plan primarily,” Punjab FC assistant coach Sankarlal Chakraborty said in the pre-match press conference.
“As professionals, we need to always keep winning, and keep pushing to get our results for the season,” Mohun Bagan Super Giant assistant coach Manuel Perez said in context of the importance of this match for the Mariners.
