ISL: Chennaiyin set sights on last four slot

The race to join Bengaluru in the next round involves FC Pune City, FC Goa and Kerala Blasters apart from Sunday's contestants.

Update: 2018-02-18 02:52 GMT
Chennaiyin FC players at a training session in Chennai. (Photo: N. Vajiravelu)
Chennaiyin FC players at a training session in Chennai. (Photo: N. Vajiravelu)
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Chennai: With season four of the Indian Super League reaching its business end, Chennaiyin FC will look to nail their two remaining home matches to seal a play-off berth. Jamshedpur FC, their opponents on Sunday here, are also in a similar position, just two points behind John Gregory’s team.

Not long ago, Chennaiyin were cruising to the next stage. A loss to Bengaluru FC at home and an away draw against Delhi Dynamos left them deflated before a crucial win against FC Goa on Thursday boosted their play-off hopes. The race to join Bengaluru in the next round involves FC Pune City, FC Goa and Kerala Blasters apart from Sunday’s contestants.

Gregory will be keen to pocket six points against Jamshedpur and Mumbai City FC at home. A trip to Kerala will be testing as it is not Chennaiyin’s favourite hunting ground.

The immediate task at hand against Jamshedpur is not easy either. The manager’s trusted midfield lieutenants, D. Ganesh and Gregory Nelson, will miss the match through suspension as they have racked up four yellow cards each in the tournament. Ganesh’s penchant for yellow must be a worry for Gregory as he is serving his second suspension.

The home team’s problems don’t end there. Striker Jeje Lalpekhlua is enduring a drought. In a 4-2-3-1 formation, the target man can’t afford to fail to score in three matches on the trot. Jamshedpur, on the other hand,  are in the form of their life.

The Tata Group team come to Chennai off three straight wins. One more on Sunday will go a long way in securing their place in the play-offs because Chennaiyin are one of their closest rivals for the next stage.

Chennaiyin edged Jamshedpur in the away match through Jeje’s penalty. The home team also had a chance from the spot but they faltered. On Sunday, fans can expect both teams to go for the kill as three points have all the potential to weigh like six.

ATK PLAY FOR PRIDE
Meanwhile, out of reckoning for a play-offs berth, defending champions ATK will hope to salvage pride when they lock horns with Mumbai City FC on Sunday. Mumbai have a chance to make it to the top four, although for that to happen, they need to win all their remaining four games.

Currently seventh on the points table with 17 points, Mumbai still have a mathematical chance of making it to the final four but they have to rely on the teams above them in the league standings to drop points.

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