Mumbai City FC and Bengaluru FC will face off within the semifinal of the 2022-23 Indian Super League (ISL) season. File image
| Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini
Bengaluru FC should shortly put behind reminiscences from the inglorious end to its Indian Super League knockout win over Kerala Blasters FC when it locks horns with Mumbai City FC within the first-leg of the semifinal on the Mumbai Football Arena on Tuesday.
Blasters’ walk-out had left many a thoughts distressed, and although BFC coach Simon Grayson, within the pre-match media briefing, stated that his gamers had moved on and had been keen to construct on their nine-match successful run, the shadow of the tie lingers.
To come out of it, BFC can definitely draw from the way in which it performed towards Blasters, particularly within the first half. The mixture play involving forwards Roy Krishna and N. Sivasakthi and creator Javi Hernandez, the menace from its wingbacks and the defensive form when out of possession had been top-notch.
“It is important that we are in the tie going into the second leg at home (March 12),” Grayson stated. “The intention will be to win, but if we concede, we need to keep our heads and look to get what would be a better result.”
But MCFC has by far been the League’s stand-out workforce, boasting of a stellar assault comprising the likes of Jorge Pereyra Diaz, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Greg Stewart and Alberto Noguera.
That Des Buckingham’s facet misplaced its last two fixtures – together with one towards BFC – can be of no consequence. By then, MCFC had sealed the League Winners Shield by going unbeaten in 18 video games and didn’t essentially discipline its finest XIs. Without a match since February 19, MCFC can also be anticipated to be contemporary and energised.
“I think season form sometimes can go out of the window during the play-offs phase,” Buckingham stated. “[But] regardless of the team that we play, we’ve already shown this season that we can perform. If we can do that in the semifinals, we will place ourselves in the best position.”
