Hyderabad FC host ATK Mohun Bagan at GMC Balayogi Stadium in the first leg of the Indian Super League (ISL) semi-final on Thursday. It’s a repeat match from last season’s semi-final, which Hyderabad won 3-2 on aggregate, and went on to win the tournament.
However, the defending champions do not come into this match as favourites, and neither does ATK Mohun Bagan. Both sides have shown only flashes of brilliance this season, often relying on moments of individual quality rather than a well-defined style of play.
Balance this two-legged tie, with no clues as to what will tip the scales in this fascinating contest.
head to head
Even the past doesn’t help particularly when it comes to predicting how this game will turn out – the two teams have won their home games this season in similar fashion – 1-0 attrition matters. However, knockout football offers a different context, and Hyderabad picked up their first win over ATK Mohun Bagan last year in the first leg, a 3-1 win, before Laxmikant Kattimani’s heroics saw them through despite from a 0-1 loss on the pitch. leg.
Overall, they have met ten times, with ATK Mohun Bagan winning four times, while Hyderabad FC have only won twice, both times at home.
How did they get here?
Despite the gloom surrounding Hyderabad, the irony was that their total of 42 points, enough for second place in the league, was their best ever. Manolo Márquez defied the odds this season, battling injury and poor form for fashionable wins. 46% of Hyderabad’s wins this season came by a 1-0 scoreline – the pattern was pretty obvious: hold it steady and one attack down the wing should work.
Hyderabad finished the season with the seventh-best xG of any team (24.5, which translates to 36 goals), but were rescued by their defense, which was the best in the league, conceding the fewest goals (16). , the least xG conceded (19.9) and keep the cleanest goal (10).
Seven teams have scored more than ATK Mohun Bagan’s paltry total of 24 goals in 20 games this season. However, as seen in their tie against Odisha, they have a trump card in the form of Dimi Petratos. The Australian has participated in 65% of ATKMB’s goals this season and is key in Juan Ferrando’s style of play.
How can Hyderabad FC win this game?
Although Márquez said that on paper this is a low-goal game, he noted that knockout soccer can generate outliers as a high-scoring game. Perhaps it’s a window into his thinking that Hyderabad can take it upon himself to attack as the home team, and the head coach is also expecting a bigger and louder contingent in the stands, this being the first ISL knockout game in the Gachibowli stadium.
Bart Ogbeche is a doubt for this game, which will fall on Borja Herrera and possibly Joel Chianese to replace Javi Siverio up front. However, if Ogbeche is fit, Chianese will break through as Hyderabad reverts to their compact 4-4-1-1 to ensure that ATK Mohun Bagan’s attacking options are not fully worked out. Joao Victor is an option for Márquez if he wants to remove the danger of Petratos and Hugo Boumous going down in midfield, while Hyderabad’s established defensive lineup should hold its own.
Moving forward, Márquez has rotated his wide options all season, but Halicharan Nazary and Mo Yasir should be given the nod, especially given their penchant for creating a goal out of thin air. There’s no time like the present, huh?
How can ATK Mohun Bagan win this game?
Juan Ferrando has gotten into the refereeing controversy surrounding Indian football at the moment, but what should also concern him is his team’s tendency to hit hot and cold shots. If ATKMB could replicate their performance against Odisha in the qualifier once again, they might walk away with a win. Ferrando is eager to control the ball in midfield, especially with Hyderabad’s ability in quick transitions. Carl McHugh and Puitea paired up for the first time at center and they were excellent against Odisha, which could result in a replay. For two teams that attack a lot on the wings, midfield control could make all the difference.
The lack of Aashique Kuruniyan (and possibly Vishal Kaith and Brendan Hamill) could require some adjustment, and Liston Colaco is likely to start early on, but Ferrando has all the weapons he needs to pull off a win. Whether his team has a desire to provide ammunition for said weapons is another matter entirely.
What has been said?
Manolo Marquez, Head Coach of Hyderabad FC:
“Last season, we had a very good campaign and had a chance to win the Shield. We were a bit unlucky, but then we won the ISL title. We were clinicians back then and will look to replicate.” “Same style this season to reach the final. Anything can happen in the knockout rounds. ATK Mohun Bagan has better momentum than when they played us in Hyderabad, but we are also a very good team, and we are a very difficult team to beat.” defeat.”
Juan Ferrando, head coach of ATK Mohun Bagan:
“Our plan is always the same, the team will try to focus on the attack and control the spaces, it is the same for the semi-final or even the final. Yes, it is necessary to control the transitions against Hyderabad FC because everyone knows what ( Mohammad) Yasir, (Akash) Mishra or Joel (Chianese) are capable of doing it, but our approach is the same all the time, try to keep the ball, build progress, be in the right position to attack, control space … and pace. This is the same plan throughout the season and some details may change, but we will not change the entire plan.”
