ISL 2021-22: Chennaiyin FC faces stern challenge against defending champion Mumbai City FC

This is an important week for Chennaiyin as it is scheduled to play three matches over the next week including this fixture.

The team’s philosophy has been to be as tight and compact as possible on defence and it has paid dividends as the team has conceded only two goals from the first four matches.

Chennaiyin FC will face its sternest test on Wednesday when it takes on defending champions and current leader Mumbai City FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda.

This is an important week for Chennaiyin as it is scheduled to play three matches over the next week including this fixture.

The team’s philosophy has been to be as tight and compact as possible on defence and it has paid dividends as the team has conceded only two goals from the first four matches.

Importantly, the team has so far not been threatened or consistently come under pressure in its final third of the pitch by the four opponents so far and is the only unbeaten side in the competition so far.

But things will be different on Wednesday as in Mumbai City, it faces a team that plays an extremely attacking brand of football.

“We will take every game, one at a time. We did not get carried away after our first game, and we did not get carried away after our second when we had one win and one loss,” said Mumbai City FC coach Des Buckingham. 

“They are the only team in the league who are unbeaten, so it's a challenge,” he added. 

The Islanders have rammed in 16 goals from five matches have four wins and a defeat so far. The team’s high-press game is sure to put the Chennaiyin defence under pressure and any lapse can prove costly. 

CFC Coach Bozidar Bandovic said, “They are not only a high pressing team but also good technically as well as in the attack. You need to have a good balance between attack and defence and that is very important because if you don’t defend well and concede chances then they (Mumbai City) will score for sure.”