Cheni face tough task against Pune

Cheni, Oct 23: After a mixed start to the second season of the Indian Super League (ISL), hosts Cheniyin FC will look to get back to winning ways when they take on a confident FC Pune City at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Saturday.

Placed in the fifth position with six points after two wins and three losses, Cheniyin will have to pull up their socks in order to gather full points in front of their home crowd.

On the other hand, visitors Pune come into the match full of confidence, having beaten defending champions Atletico de Kolkata 1-0 in their last encounter. The team from Maharashtra now have nine points from four matches and are placed at the second spot in the ISL table, after three wins and a loss.

The hosts come into the match after a 2-0 loss at the hand of NorthEast United FC on Tuesday.

English coach David Platt has used his experience to good effect in the past four matches for Pune, and will hope that his boys deliver well once again and maintain the winning touch in their away match. Former Turkey striker Tuncay Sanli, who starred for Pune the previous matches, will hold the key upfront along with Israil Gurung who has provided important assists that have led to goals.

On the other hand, Cheniyin mager Marco Materazzi will have to re-group his squad after the loss to NorthEast United.

Steven Mendoza, who scored a hat-trick against FC Goa, will be someone to watch out for yet again alongside Elano Blumer.

Materazzi’s tactics did not work in the last match and the Italian World Cup winner will hope to implement something different against Pune and come out victorious. IANS