Six matches, two goals and no victory. That has been the story so far for NorthEast United in the ninth edition of Indian Super League (ISL). But coach Marco Balbul thinks it's going to change soon, hopefully in Guwahati on Friday, when they face the unbeaten Mumbai City FC in the teams' seventh match of the season. And if doesn't, then NEUFC will set the record for the longest losing streak in the league.
"Every time we think positive and believe that we can win the game. If we don't believe, then it's over. But I believe in the team and the players believe in the team and tomorrow (Friday), we are hoping that the result will be positive for us," Balbul said during the pre-match press conference in Guwahati on Thursday. "The fans have till now suffered. And we want to give them better football, better fighting (spirit) and a better result tomorrow."
To change the losing plot, the Highlanders strike force will be boosted by the arrival of new Colombian recruit Jordan Wilmar Gil, who is a former topscorer in Bulgarian first division. But a greater challenge for NEUFC will be in defence, which has already conceded 13 times this season. They will be up against a second-placed Mumbai City side that has already added 20 goals to their kitty and will be egging to increase the number on Friday.
"Mumbai are one of the best teams in the league and are in their best shape right now. They have scored ten goals in the last two games. To stop them, we need to be very organised and compact in defence," said Balbul.
However, an interesting stat shows that the onus will be on Mumbai to change the head-to-head with NEUFC as the Des Buckingham-coached team will start the fixture having had a four-game winless run against the hosts. But the eagerness to dethrone Hyderanad FC and grab top spot will be top if their minds at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium.
But while Balbul spoke of changes in the staring XI in bid to find a win with a full squad at his disposal, Buckingham is expected to stay with his routine of not switching up his starting XI too much. And Buckingham said his team was not looking at the statistics and underestimating their opponents.
"We have watched all of NEUFC's games, especially the recent ones. They haven't yet registered a point, but the performances they have put in have kept the scorelines tight," he said Buckingham. "We don't look at being unbeaten. We try to get better in every game. We will give this fixture the attention and respect it deserves, just like how we have done with all teams that we have faced so far, because if we don't, it could be a very difficult evening for us."
The ardent NEUFC fans will hope that the evening is indeed difficult for the visitors and bring the outcome that has eluded the Highlanders so far.
