Hyderabad

East Bengal FC will take on Hyderabad FC at the Gachibowli Stadium to cap off the Saturday double header of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 on Saturday.

The Red and Gold Brigade are winless since their triumph in the Kalinga Super Cup last month. Their 2-2 draw in the Kolkata Derby was followed with successive losses against North East United FC and Mumbai City FC. Hence, their playoff prospects, which seemingly appeared to be bright a couple of weeks ago, are dwindling and need an urgent resurgence. The team is placed 10th in the table with two victories and five defeats in 13 encounters so far.

They have not won in the ISL in their last six matches, with their previous victory coming on December 4 against North East United FC by a 5-0 margin. They would possibly be hoping that their aspirations receive a boost against Hyderabad FC, a team that is still searching for its first win of the ISL campaign.

Few things have gone right for the hosts this year, but the form of East Bengal FC doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence at the moment either. This is an opportunity for both these teams to set things straight and possibly sow the seeds of a possible comeback into the scheme of things that could lead them to progress in the ISL. Hyderabad FC has scored the least goals amongst all teams in ISL 2023-24, having found the back of the net only five times in 14 matches. However, it is not a concern that they face against East Bengal FC, as they have netted in each of their seven fixtures in the league, the only team against whom Hyderabad FC has managed this feat. However, their current record doesn’t hold them in good stead.