Pune/Jamshedpur, Nov. 20: After the much needed break, Jamshedpur FC players are all geared up for their away game against FC Pune City on November 21. When the team takes the field on Wednesday they will have only one thing in mind– to grab three points. This is a golden opportunity for the ‘Men of Steel’ as their opposition has not tasted victory in Indian Super League (ISL) season 5.
FC Pune City has been going through a very rough phase and their interim coach Pradyum Reddy believes the turnaround can happen against Jamshedpur FC at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex on Wednesday. Reddy hasn�t had the success that he would have liked from this team since taking over from Miguel Angelof Portugal after three games.
Pune has two points from seven outings thanks to the drawn matches against Delhi and Kerala while losing five matches. Now the responsibility rests on the shoulders of Pune players to win their first match and remain alive this season.
Addressing a pre-match press conference, Pradyum Reddy, said, “On paper, it is a very good team, very similar to what we had last season but matches are not won on paper but on turf. There are a lot of teams in similar situations,” said Reddy.
The hosts will also be boosted by the return of Brazilian striker Marcelinho and ISL�s highest goalscorer, Iain Hume, into its fold. Marcelinho served a one-match ban for a red card and Emiliano Alfaro’s loan to ATK has allowed the now fully fit Hume to join the squad.
“We missed quite a few players in the ATK game but we don�t have those issues anymore. So we are looking forward to the match. For the first time this season we have all 25 players to pick from. So everyone is available now,” said a cautiously optimistic Reddy.
While Pune are 14 points off the top of the table and can move off the bottom spot if they pick up a win, Cesar Ferrando’s Jamshedpur have no reason to be complacent with the team sitting fourth with 11 points after seven matches. The Men of Steel can move to the second spot if they win on Wednesday.
Jamshedpur FC head coach Cesar Ferrando, said, “I think Pune are a good team and for me, they are a dangerous team because they want to get their first victory. They have a good squad. It is a big challenge for us�.
Jamshedpur�s expansive football has often allowed other teams chances to score and although Tiri and co. have stood firm at the back, this has held them to stalemates five times this season, most by a team in 2018-19 Hero ISL up until now.
Pune, on the other hand, have conceded the most number of goals out of the 10 teams in the league and the vulnerable backline will be up against the likes of Michael Soosairaj and Sergio Cidoncha who are in good goal-scoring form.
The Indian forward earned words of praise from his coach, “Michael Soosairaj is a very good player. Since the pre-season in Segovia to now, he has improved a lot. He is doing well, he is working very hard.”
Star striker Tim Cahill will miss the game as he is away on international duty for his testimonial game while Gourav Mukhi will also sit out the fixture due to suspension.
