Mumbai FC brace for Sporting challenge

Action from the Federation Cup match between BFC and Aizawl FC in Aizawl on Saturday. The hosts won 2-1.

Mumbai FC stayed unbeaten at the Cooperage Stadium in I-League fixtures this season and they will want to maintain that record when they take on Sporting Clube de Goa in their Federation Cup home fixture here on Sunday.

The Khalid Jamil’s side registered four wins here in I-league including 2-0 win over eventual champions Bengaluru FC. They also registered four draws and one of them was against Sporting (2-2).

Both the teams finished I-League on a high registering massive wins and will be eager to carry forward the momentum. Mumbai FC hammered their Maharashtra rivals DSK Shivajians 4-0 while Sporting overwhelmed their Goan opponents Salgaocar 3-0.

Mumbai FC has full squad available with experienced Taisuke Matsugae, Arata Izumi and youngster Jayesh Rane available to man the midfield. The Goan side will be without their main strikers Odafa Okolie and Mohamoud Al Amenah, both out due to injuries.

Aizawl FC stun BFC Aizwal FC kicked-off their maiden Federation Cup campaign in style as they stunned I-League and defending champions Benaluru FC 2-1 on the opening day of the tournament at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Aizwal on Saturday.

A late goal from Aizwal’s Joel Sunday sealed the win for his team. It was an attacking game from the defending champions Bengaluru FC who nearly took the lead when Sunil Chhetri’s threatening corner resulted in a coming together of bodies in the Aizwal FC penalty box, but the Aizwal defence stood strong and made a goal line clearance to deny their opponents an early lead. But, Eugeneson Lyngdoh’s 15th minute goal gave BFC the lead they had been looking for.