Jamshedpur FC came back with a punch as they defeated Mumbai City FC with a final score of 2-0 at Tilak Maidan. The 90 minutes were dominated by the men in red with 2 goals and creating multiple chances while denying Mumbai City FC’s almost all shots on target. The game also saw the latest signing, Boris Singh, score his first goal for Jamshedpur as well as in the ISL. In the end, David Grande, after getting subbed in, sealed the deal for the squad with a last minute goal.
The Men of Steel will now focus on their next opponents in the final stage of the league, Bengaluru FC. The two teams will be going head-to-head for their final game of the 2020-21 season of the ISL. While both the teams have slim chances of qualifying for the play-offs, both the sides will be seeking to finish the season strong with a win in the final game of the season. This will be a home game for the Men of Steel at the Tilak Maidan as the two sides go face-to-face for the second time in the current season.
As we head into our next away fixture of the season at the Fatorda stadium, here are some of the players from the Blues’ side who could pose a threat to the squad.
Cleiton Silva
Brazilian forward, Cleiton Silva joined Bengaluru FC with loads of experience from leagues across China, Mexico and Thailand. Cleiton Silva is the first foreign player in the Thai League to reach the 100-goal mark, and finished as the top-scorer for two seasons. He experienced success with Muangthong United, where he managed to net 57 goals in 79 appearances, winning three major trophies. Cleiton, paired with Erik Paartalu & Dimas Delgado and Sunil Chhetri, is a force in the midfield and dominates the entire pitch with his clean finishing ability. After dominating East Asia, Silva now has made a strong impact in India with 7 goals and 4 assists to his name in the season so far and will look to end his season strong by adding more goals and assists to his tally against Jamshedpur.
Sunil Chhetri
Sunil Chhetri is the second-highest in the list of active international scorers in world football alongside Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The skipper has been vital in the club's success since its formation in 2013. In addition to all this, Chhetri is also the second highest goalscorer in the history of the ISL with 46 goals. He has also recently crossed the 200 games mark for the Blues. Chhetri has also helped the team tremendously which led to the Blues lifting the league cup; he continues to give his best for the team every time he steps up on the pitch. Despite the tough outcomes in the second leg of the league, Chhetri has continued to be a threat to the opposition’s backline, and has netted 7 goals while also providing 2 assists to his teammates. Sunil Chhetri will definitely be a lurking threat for the Jamshedpur defence as he will aim to end his campaign run with a few more goals under his belt.
Udanta Singh
Udanta has been an integral part of the Bengaluru FC squad as well as the Indian National team with 27 appearances so far. Since his selection, he has established himself on the national side after making his debut against Iran. Udanta was also in exceptional form during the team’s title-winning run, contributing five goals and three assists to the team. After signing a contract extension with the Bengaluru FC, Udanta has been and will be a great aid in the attacking third to Sunil Chhetri in the coming seasons of the ISL. Even though Udanta has not contributed much goals or assists wise this season, he surely is a vital element in the counter-attacks and set-pieces in the Blues’ attacking line-up. With his pace and agility combined with his accurate crossing ability, the Jamshedpur defence will be aiming to cut out all crosses and through balls coming from Udanta’s end to maintain another clean sheet.
Erik Paartalu
Australian midfielder, Erik Paartalu, has been a regular starter for the Bengaluru FC side since signing with the club in 2017. Having made 66 appearances, he along with Dimas Delgado and other talented midfielders, has become an integral part of the Blues' starting XI. Paartalu possesses great passing ability and threatens the opposition's defence with his strong physique and height. Erik helps the ball get further up the pitch in the counter-attacks and forms a strong link between the defence and the attacking line-up. With his height, Paartalu also drives in multiple headed attempts and wins aerial challenges with ease. The Men of Steel will want to be compact and hold down Erik from dominating the midfield and dictating the pace of the game when the two sides share the pitch tomorrow night.
