Vasco (Goa), (Asian independent) Unbeaten Hyderabad FC have got off to a good start to the season and they would be looking to keep it going when they face league leaders Mumbai City at the Tilak Maidan Stadium on Sunday.
Manolo Marquez’s men bounced back from a run of three straight draws when they downed SC East Bengal in their previous game. But they will have their task cut out against a Mumbai side that will be looking to put a disappointing 1-1 draw against Jamshedpur FC behind them.
“Mumbai City, in my opinion, are the favourites to win the regular season. They’ve got a very good team with a lot of quality and a top coach. They play good football, are good in the high press, good in set-pieces. For me, they are one of the more difficult games that we will play,” Marquez said.
Hyderabad have enough firepower to take all three points in the game. Striker Aridane Santana has scored four times in the league, already.
“Of course, we will have possibilities to win the game. We can win or lose with all the teams and it depends on our performance. We’ve prepared for the game in the same way we’ve prepared for other games. Of course, we have looked at videos of the opponent. They are a team that wants to keep the ball, the same as our team. We have to be prepared to defend very well,” Marquez added.
Sergio Lobera’s team will be aiming to restore their points advantage at the top of the table, with Mumbai currently level on points with ATK Mohun Bagan. They dominated possession in their previous game against Jamshedpur but managed to get just four shots on target.
Mumbai will be hoping that Hugo Boumous, who has created more chances and registered more assists than anyone in the league so far, is fit enough to return.
“The most important thing in the last game was the finish, because we created a lot of chances and when you create a lot of chances, you need to score,” Lobera said.
Like his opponents, Lobera too knows that he is in for a tough game against a tough team.
“I knew the coach and the profile of the players. He (Marquez) was working in Las Palmas, the same club I was with in the past. I know his style of play,” Lobera said.
