ISL: Highlanders and Nizams lock horns eyeing top four spot
NEW DELHI: A buoyant Hyderabad FC will take on a NorthEast United FC side looking to put their season back on track at the Tilak Maidan Stadium, Vasco on Friday.
Hyderabad are currently sixth, one place above their opponents. They have 12 points compared to the Highlanders 11. A win on Friday would propel them into the top four.
The Nizams returned to winning ways with a thumping 4-1 victory over Chennaiyin FC in their last game. They were on a three-match losing streak. The best part about the win was the fact that their top scorer Aridane Santana did not need to get on the scoresheet as the whole team contributed towards the result.
"Aridane is our top scorer but when you build a team, you want the wingers to score goals, centre backs from setpieces to score goals. I was told that Hali (Halicharan Narzary) doesn't normally score many goals but now with two goals against Chennaiyin, he now has three goals in the season. Sometimes you don't know what will happen but of course it's good news for our team that not only Aridane is scoring goals," coach Manuel Marquez said.
For Hyderabad coach Marquez, one major concern heading into the game will be their defense. Their backline has shipped 11 goals and has not registered a clean sheet in their previous six games.
NorthEast, on the other hand, are in a spot of bother. The Highlanders have slipped from the top four after a few underwhelming results. Gerard Nus' side are on a five-match winless streak, having suffered two defeats.
"It is not hard to motivate players. They are professionals. They all have the desire to win. The players are 100 per cent focused. The team wants to get better. We need to have that confidence and we are going in a good direction. A lot of games are coming up. So just moving from one game to another," he pointed out.