Men of Steel aim to fix scoring woes against Chennaiyin FC

Coach stresses fast start as Jamshedpur FC prepare for key home fixture

Jamshedpur, April 24: Jamshedpur FC will target a return to winning ways at home following a 0-2 defeat to Kerala Blasters FC, where Nihal Sudheesh and Vibin Mohanan scored. The Men of Steel have demonstrated defensive solidity, conceding just eight goals thus far, but have lacked attacking output, scoring only nine in as many matches.

Jamshedpur FC Head Coach Owen Coyle called for his side to end their habit of chasing games as the Men of Steel prepare to host Chennaiyin FC at the Furnace on 25th April. Speaking at the pre-match press conference alongside goalkeeper Albino Gomes, Coyle stressed the importance of scoring first and rewarding the home fans.

Madih Talal is expected to return to the starting XI after featuring as a substitute in the previous match and will serve as the primary creative outlet, with Raphaël Messi Bouli leading the line. In team news, head coach Owen Coyle confirmed that Albino Gomes will start in goal, while Stephen Eze is likely suspended and Sourav Das will miss out due to injury.

Currently on 15 points, Jamshedpur FC can climb as high as second with a win, moving to 18, provided other results are favourable.

Coyle, former coach of the Marina Machans, acknowledged his familiarity with the opposition while maintaining a results-oriented focus. “It helps in understanding their players and strengths. They have very good players like Farukh Chaudhury, Irfan Yadwad and Daniel Chima Chukwu. But during the match, my only focus is to win for Jamshedpur. It will be good to see familiar faces, but both teams will be fully competitive,” he said.

On the injury front, Coyle provided a positive update on midfielder Madih Talal. “Madih should get more minutes than last week. He played a bit longer than planned then but came through well and trained strongly this week. He looks in better shape now.” While not confirming if Talal would start, Coyle added, “He’s done very well in training. It’s a good selection problem because we have quality players.”

Goalkeeper Albino Gomes reflected on the team’s mindset ahead of the fixture. “The pressure is there, but it is good pressure. Everyone is working hard in training, and we need to bring that effort into the match to get a positive result,” he said.

Jamshedpur FC host Chennaiyin FC at the JRD Tata Sports Complex on 25th April 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 7:30 PM.