U18 I-League: Pune FC eye seventh successive Maha-Derby win; face Mumbai FC in a crucial game

Pune: Pune FC is keen to maintain their perfect record against arch-rivals Mumbai FC in the Maha-Derby as they gear up for an Under-18 I-League Maharashtra Zone Round-4 encounter at the Cooperage Ground in Mumbai on Sunday.

Having played out a thrilling 2-2 draw at home with DSK Shivajians, which meant ending a 2-match winning streak, Pune FC will be eager to get back to winning ways in their second away game of this season.

While the clash will be a tricky one, Pune FC is confident of their chances. This positiveness stems from the impressive record Pune FC has against Mumbai FC which reads six wins out of six in the competition.

Speaking ahead of the big game, Pune FC Coach Naushad Moosa said, “Our previous match against Shivajians was an intense one. It was a good learning experience for young boys from Under-17s in the team. These players are still adapting to the style of play and facing a strong opponent always helps to the get the best out of them.”

Going into the game on the back of an extended break, Pune FC (7 pts) are now placed second in the table behind leaders DSK Shivajians (10 pts) who have played a game more. However, with Shivajians having a break in this weekend, Pune FC will look to close the gap for the top spot in the standings.

“Despite suffering a heavy loss in their opener, Mumbai FC has managed to get positive results and won’t be an easy opponent to face. However, our aim is to get all three points to move up in the table,” added Coach Moosa.

On the team news front, Pune FC will be missing services of key defenders Gursimrat Singh and Rajat Kumar along with attackers Md. Yasir, Balkar Singh and Dimple Bhagat who are out with injuries.

However, Coach Moosa’s side has been boosted by the return of couple of key players in the squad. Striker Ashique Kuruniyan who was with the India Under-18s returned to training earlier this week. Joining him in the matchday squad will be winger Chesterpaul Lyngdoh who returns after visiting home for personal reasons.

Over the years, Pune FC’s dominance against Mumbai FC has led to the former scoring twenty two goals while conceding just five and keeping two clean sheets.

The game at the Cooperage Ground will be played under floodlights and kicks off at 6.00 PM IST.