NorthEast United Team News
The coach believes all credit must go to his players. "All the players have worked very hard. Because of them, we have reached here. I never think about the nine matches. It's about right from the first game. The boys have worked hard and I am very proud to be their coach," Jamil said.
The match will be between the two sides with similar approaches. Both teams will be set up in a compact way to make it difficult for the opposition.
Every time the Highlanders have taken a lead, they have been impossible to beat. They took the lead on 13 occasions this season and won eight, shared points in the rest.
Bagan work on similar lines. Having taken the lead 14 times, ATKMB have won 12 and drawn 2. Jamil is aware of the importance of scoring first.
"We are going to play against a good team. ATK Mohun Bagan are a good side. Defensively strong and their attack is strong too. We have to be very careful as the first match is very important. It will be the toughest game of the league. So we will have to prepare well and we will have to be strong." Jamil said
NorthEast can look at history for encouragement. Bagan coach Antonio Habas is winless in 3 first leg ISL semifinals, losing 2 and drawing 1. "It's an advantage but we are thinking about tomorrow. It's our first game we have to be careful," added Jamil.
ATK Mohun Bagan Team News
For ATK Mohun Bagan, the last three games cost them the League Winners Shield. However, the club is still in the contest for the ISL crown and will hope to redeem their season by lifting the title.
"NorthEast United have had a good ISL season. It's a very difficult team because they have good players in defence, central midfield and good players in attack. They also had good performances and give 100 percent on the pitch," said Habas.
NEUFC Squad
Goalkeepers: Subhasish Roy Chowdhury, Gurmeet Singh, Sanjiban Ghosh, Nikhil Deka
Defenders: Wayne Vaz, Provat Lakra, Gurjinder Kumar, Ashutosh Mehta, Dylan Fox, Benjamin Lambot, Ponif Vaz, Mashoor Shereef, Nabin Rabha, Nim Dorjee Tamang
Midfielders: Khassa Camara, Ninthoinganba Meetei, Imran Khan, Fanai Lalrempuia, Britto PM, Rochharzela, Pragyan Gogoi, Lalengmawia
Forwards: Federico Gallego, Idrissa Sylla, Deshorn Brown, Luis Machado, Suhair, Lalkhawpuimawia
ATK MB Squad
Goalkeepers: Arindam Bhattacharya, Avilash Paul, Arsh Shaikh, Surajit Pramanik
Defenders: Sandesh Jhingan, Tiri, Pritam Kotal, Prabir Das, Subashish Bose, Sumit Rathi, Salam Singh
Midfielders: Javier Hernandez, Michael Regin, Edu Garcia, Carl McHugh, Glan Martins, Pronay Halder, Jayesh Rane, Sheikh Sahil, Ningombam Engson Singh, Samuel Lalmuanpuia, Lenny Rodrigues
Forwards: Roy Krishna, David Williams, Manvir Singh, Mohamad Fardin Ali, Komal Thatal, Marcelo Pereira (Marcelinho)
Possible XI and Fantasy XI
NEUFC: Subhasish Roy; Dylan Fox, Benjamin Lambot, Nim Dorjee Tamang, Provat Lakra; Lalengmawia, Khassa Camara, Imran Khan; Suhair, Deshorn Brown, Federico Gallego.
ATKMB: Arindam Bhattacharya; Tiri, Sumit Rathi, Pritam Kotal, Manvir Singh; Carl McHugh, Pronay Halder, Lenny Rodrigues; Roy Krishna, David Williams, Marcelinho
MyKhel Fantasy picks
Goalkeeper: Arindam Bhattacharya
Defenders: Pritam Kotal, Dylan Fox, Tiri
Midfielders: Carl McHugh, Lenny Rodrigues, Imran Khan, Pronay Halder
Forwards: Roy Krishna (captain), Deshorn Brown, Marcelinho
Match Details
NorthEast United vs ATK Mohun Bagan
ISL 2020-21 Semifinal-2 First Leg
Venue: GMC Stadium in Bambolim, Goa
Date: March 6 (Saturday)
Time: 7:30 PM IST
Live on: Star Sports Network
Live Streaming: Disney+Hotstar VIP and Jio TV