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Punjab FC will host Bengaluru FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 on Saturday. The Panagiotis Dilmperis-coached team will have their task cut out in improving their home form since they have not won any of the last four encounters at this venue.
Bengaluru FC had beaten Punjab FC by a slender margin of 1-0 in the reverse fixture. However, the latter is one of the four active teams that the Blues are yet to round off a league double over, alongside Hyderabad FC, Mohammedan SC, and Mohun Bagan Super Giant. Both these teams are struggling for form, with Bengaluru FC having drawn once and losing twice in their last three away encounters. Their most recent match on the road saw them fall to a 0-1 loss to the Mohun Bagan Super Giant in Kolkata. They will want to find their groove upfront, as the last time they had not netted in consecutive away encounters was in 2022. Bengaluru FC have suffered losses in four out of their last five encounters. They are placed fifth in the points table with 28 points from 18 matches, on the back of eight wins and four draws. Punjab FC followed in the ninth position with 20 points from 16 games due to six victories and two draws. Punjab FC trails the sixth-placed Mumbai City FC (27) by seven points, having played a game fewer than the Islanders (17). They have a reasonable period in hand to reignite their charge for the top-six, whereas the Blues will want to push upwards as the second-placed FC Goa have five more points (33) than them, having played a game less (17). Punjab FC are the only team yet to find the back of the net through a headed goal in the current ISL season. On the other hand, they have conceded the second-most goals this way (7). Coach Dilmperis will have to work to ensure that his side's aerial prowess on both ends is fine-tuned to yield them the required returns. Bengaluru FC have recorded 147 sequences of 10+ open-play passes this season, the second-most behind Mohun Bagan Super Giant (151). Their highest-ever season tally is 152 (2017-18). This shows that they have embraced and implemented Gerard Zaragoza's playing philosophy to the full tilt this season. Bengaluru FC have scored six headed goals this season, with only Mohun Bagan Super Giant (8) bettering them in this manner. The Blues have made good use of their players in the flanks by having them deliver consistent crosses for their target men in the box. Given Punjab FC's drawback in defending aerial attacks, the Blues might just make the most of their proficiency in this regard. Punjab FC head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis simplified the tasks for his team for the coming match. "We will try to address as many issues as they try to create for us. Hopefully, we manage to keep a clean sheet and score more than them," Dilmperis was quoted in a release from ISL as saying. Bengaluru FC head coach Gerard Zaragoza admitted that his team is preparing well for the coming match. "We have six games remaining in the league now, but the most important part is the next game against Punjab FC. The team has been training well," he said. The two teams have played thrice in the ISL. Bengaluru FC and Punjab FC have won once each, whereas one game has ended in a draw. (ANI)
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