ATK will be visiting Pune City for a return match in the ISL on this Sunday. The former is still in the run for the final four and the playoffs while the latter have left their winning run a bit too late for their own comfort.

Pune City FC’s earlier seven-match losing streak has done them in this ISL season. They then proceeded to sack their team manager Miguel Angel Portugal and handed over the reins of the club to Pradyum Reddy, the then assistant manager. With three straight victories under Reddy and the under their newly appointed manager Phil Brown, Pune City are now place seventh in the league table. Iain Hume who will be playing against his old masters ATK will love to open his account for the Stallions in this match. Pune City will have to stop leaking goals if they are to get the better of ATK in this match.

ATK has stuck to its defensive tactics since the start of the season in keeping with Steve Coppel's policy. They have scored 13 goals in their 14 matches and have conceded as many. Placed eighth in the league table they have a good chance to take a shot at the playoffs and might have to change their tactics to more attacking plans if they are to make it to them. They are up against Mumbai City, FC Goa and Jamshedpur FC after this match. It will be in their interest to win this match.

Head to head

Pune City has got the better of ATK five of the nine times that they have played against each other in the ISL while ATK has won twice. Atk has however won the match in the first leg of this season.

Current form of the teams

Pune City is going into the match with three straight wins and has one more to its credit in the last six matches that it has played. ATL, on the other hand, has a poorer record with two wins and a loss in as many matches although it is also won the last match.

Players to watch

Pune City will be relying on the Brazilian Marcelinho, Marko Stankovic and Diego Carlos to score the goals for them. Ashiki Kuruniyan has been active on the flanks and can feed strikers like Iain Hume and Marcelinho.

ATK’s new signing has Edu Garcia has already proven his worth. If he can combine with Everton Santos and the mercurial Spaniard Manuel Lanzarote, Pune City will have more than they can chew on their hands. Manuel Lanzarote has already scored two goals in the last match that he has played for ATK versus Jamshedpur.

Prediction

Pune City is on a winning streak now and if they follow the play the same style of attacking football they have a chance of winning this game. But ATK will also give it their all to win in this match because it is crucial for them to remain in the run for the playoffs. So I predict a draw for tomorrow match at 1-1.