ISL 2025-26: Mohammedan Sporting Hope To Open Account Against Bengaluru, Winless Kerala Blasters Cross Swords With Chennaiyin

ISL 2025-26: Mohammedan Sporting hope to open account against Bengaluru, winless Kerala Blasters cro (Image Source: IANS)

Winless Blasters Face Chennaiyin Challenge: Mohammedan Sporting Club and Kerala Blasters will look to bag their first points of the 2025-26 season when they take the field for their respective matches in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-26 on Saturday.

Mohammedan Sporting Club will take on Bengaluru FC as both sides aim to secure a crucial victory at the Kishore Bharti Krirangan in Kolkata, while in the second match of the day, Kerala Blasters FC will host Chennaiyin FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi.

Mohammedan Sporting head into the fixture after suffering consecutive defeats, including a 1-5 loss to Mohun Bagan Super Giant. The Black and White Brigade will be eager to bounce back and secure their first points of the season.

The Black and Whites are currently sitting at the bottom of the table without a point from three matches, while the visitors are seventh with four points from three matches.

Mohammedan SC head coach Mehrajuddin Wadoo emphasised his team's focus on the necessity of coping with the pressure of the ISL.

“Every single match is tough in the Indian Super League. We are playing with an all-Indian squad. We need a bit of time to cope with the pressure and intensity. The team is constantly evolving and improving. Only three matches have been played. We need to play regularly to be competitive with the other ISL teams. We must be at our very best to compete and try to secure a positive result.”

Mohammedan goalkeeper Padam Chettri said, “We need to spend more time together as a team. The results will definitely follow.”

Bengaluru FC, meanwhile, arrive in Kolkata aiming to bounce back from their first defeat of the ISL campaign. Renedy Singh’s men sit sixth in the standings with four points, coming off a disappointing 0-2 loss to Punjab FC.

These sides have met twice previously in the ISL, sharing a perfectly balanced record of one win and two goals each. Mohammedan won their last meeting in January 2025, securing a 1-0 away victory in Bengaluru courtesy of Mirjalol Kasimov's strike.

Acknowledging the home support of the Mohammedan fans at the Kishore Bharti Krirangan, and the need to convert possession into points, Bengaluru FC head coach Renedy Singh shared his views on the upcoming match.

“We need to score to win matches. The key is not to chase the game. We must defend well, stay compact, and then look for our chances to score. At the same time, we have to improve our defending from set-pieces,” said Singh.

Bengaluru FC midfielder Vinith Venkatesh said, “The morale inside our dressing room is extremely high. Everyone is motivated to give their best and clinch three points. We want to win the next game and climb the points table. Against Punjab, we fought until the end and created chances, but we were not at our 100 per cent defensively. We need to stick to the plan as a team, and the results will follow. I am looking for every opportunity to help the team in both attack and defence.”

Mohammedan SC will look to secure their first points of the season, while Bengaluru will hope to return to winning ways.

Winless Blasters Face Chennaiyin Challenge

Kerala Blasters FC will look to bounce back and extend their dominance in the Southern Derby as they face Chennaiyin FC in a highly anticipated clash. The home side remains without a point after three matches and sit at the bottom of the standings. They enter the match on the back of a frustrating 1-2 defeat to debutants Inter Kashi FC.

Reflecting on his team's form and the emotional weight of playing at home, Kerala Blasters FC head coach David Català stressed the importance of maintaining a positive approach and intensity.

“It is important to give everything with the right approach, stay positive, and show that we are better during the 90 minutes. Everyone wants immediate results, but that doesn’t happen every time. We are improving every day, and the energy and the intensity in the camp are constantly improving. It is very important to fight the adversities and come back.”

Kerala Blasters forward Víctor Bertomeu said, “I came here to be successful as a team first. I know the goals will come because I work hard every day, and my confidence is high. Scoring in the last game was a boost. Of course, winning individual awards would be special, but my ambition is to win matches with this team. We are improving every match, and we need to do the same to get the results.”

Chennaiyin FC will head into the match searching for their first win of the campaign after a mixed start. Coming off a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Odisha FC, where Elsinho scored a crucial stoppage-time header to earn their first point of the season, the Marina Machans sit 11th in the table and will be desperate to build on that momentum in Kochi.

Both teams have faced each other 24 times previously in the ISL. Kerala Blasters hold a slight edge with eight wins to Chennaiyin's seven, alongside nine draws. The Blasters also dominated their last encounter in January 2025, securing a 3-1 away victory where Jesús Jiménez, Korou Singh, and Kwame Peprah scored for Kerala, while Vincy Barreto netted for Chennaiyin.

Speaking about the performances in the last three encounters, Chennaiyin FC head coach Clifford Miranda said, “Yes, we are facing challenges. We are in a process; we are getting certain things right, and some things are not going our way. We are lacking in the final phase. It will take some time, but there is no excuse to drop our standards in football. We have a fantastic squad, and we believe in them. These players have shown incredible professionalism to earn a hard-fought point against Odisha. We will not give up, we will fight in every match, and we are confident that with hard work and unity, this team will continue to improve and compete strongly in this league.”

Both teams have faced each other 24 times previously in the ISL. Kerala Blasters hold a slight edge with eight wins to Chennaiyin's seven, alongside nine draws. The Blasters also dominated their last encounter in January 2025, securing a 3-1 away victory where Jesús Jiménez, Korou Singh, and Kwame Peprah scored for Kerala, while Vincy Barreto netted for Chennaiyin.

Kerala Blasters FC will look to secure a result that will bring smiles to their passionate home fans, while Chennaiyin FC aim to stay compact and capitalise on transitions. With three important points at stake, the Southern Derby promises to be an intriguing contest.

Article Source: IANS