Kolkata, Dec 14 (IANS): The Kishore Bharati Krirangan will host the first-ever Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 clash between Mohammedan SC and Mumbai City FC on Sunday.

The Islanders come into this encounter on a strong run of form when facing new opponents in the ISL, having won their last four such games and having lost only 1 game in Kolkata in nine games. On the other hand, Mohammedan SC are still searching for their first home victory this season, having fallen short of winning any of their five home fixtures (D1 L4). Their inability to keep a clean sheet in their own backyard has also hampered their prospects.

The matchup thus represents a fixture between two contrasting narratives, i.e. Mumbai City FC’s pursuit of consistency against unfamiliar foes and Mohammedan SC’s quest to reverse their home fortunes.

Mohammedan SC head coach Andrey Chernyshov said that he is focusing on getting the processes for the preparation right with his players.

“For me, it’s very important to work on the ground with the players, train them well, make them ready for the matches. Other than that, the outside noise is not interesting for me,” Chernyshov said.

Mumbai City FC head coach Petr Kratky expressed confidence in his team’s form and mentioned that they will be finding their groove upfront soon.

“We have done a lot of good work this season, so we just need to take belief from that. As we start scoring goals, the confidence will get up. I feel like we are on a threshold where it is going to happen soon,” Kratky said.