The Nawabs kick off 2024-25 campaign with clash at Sree Kanteerava
Bengaluru: After a tough few months, Hyderabad FC are finally back in Indian Super League action this week.
The Nawabs take on Gerard Zaragoza’s Bengaluru FC, in what is expected to be a cracking league clash, at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday, 19th September.
HFC, who were not in action on Matchweek 1 of the ISL this season, last featured in their final league games last season against the Blasters.
They now have a new-look squad, brimming with confidence ahead of the new season.
BFC, on the other hand, are fresh from a massive victory over East Bengal in the first round of the competition.
While academy star Vinith Venkatesh found a late winner in that game, it was a collective effort from the Blues that saw them through on that night.
The likes of Alberto Noguera, Edgar Mendez, Pedro Capo and Aleksandar Jovanović were in decent form while Sunil Chhetri, Rahul Bheke, and Suresh Wangjam stuck to their task all night.
Former HFC stars Chinglensana Konsham and Rohit Danu made the bench while Nikhil Poojary started on the night.
Speaking to the media ahead of the game, BFC Head Coach Zaragoza felt that HFC could be a surprise for his side in this game.
“We have not seen them play yet and it could make things difficult for us,” he said.
“So we want to concentrate on our performance and make sure that we can do better than what we did against East Bengal in the last game,” Coach Zaragoza added.
😍 It feels so good to say, It’s Matchday!!!😍
The Kanteerava plays host to the young and new-look Yellow and Black ⚔️
Let’s give it our best against the Blues 👊#BFCHFC #TheNawabs 💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/QKN86zvRzT
— Hyderabad FC (@HydFCOfficial) September 19, 2024
BFC also have the likes of Jorge Pereyra Diaz, Ryan Williams and Sivasakthi on the bench to shore up their attack if needed.
On the other hand, Hyderabad, have a relatively new-look squad, going into this game.
They are expected to field a young and exciting XI, with plenty of club debuts lined up on the night.
The experience of Lenny Rodrigues, Arshdeep Singh, Alex Saji and Devendra Murgaonkar will be required for HFC, to stand tall in this clash.
The youth and exuberance of Ramhlunchhunga, Abdul Rabeeh and the like will certainly keep BFC on their toes.
HFC Head Coach Thangboi Singto revealed that his side are still getting used to the new team and environment but expects the players to give their best in this game.
“We have not had the ideal pre-season that we would have wanted,” he said.
“But at HFC, it is about players who are ready to prove themselves. We know that nothing comes easy and that we need to fight really hard to get anything from this game,” he added.
Hyderabad would love to start their season on a positive note, but will be up against a high-on-confidence BFC side, who will settle for nothing less than three points on the night.
The game kicks-off at 7:30pm IST on Thursday, 19th September and will be telecasted live on Sports 18 with free streaming on Jio Cinema.
