Chennaiyin FC Gears Up for Kalinga Super Cup Showdown Against Mumbai City FC
Chennaiyin FC's Strong Squad for Kalinga Super Cup
Bhubaneswar: Chennaiyin FC, led by forward Connor Shields, has assembled a formidable team for their opening match in the Kalinga Super Cup against Mumbai City FC this Wednesday.
The champions of this tournament will secure a playoff spot for the AFC Champions League Two.
In addition to Shields, head coach Owen Coyle has included notable Indian talents like Irfan Yadwad and Jiteshwor Singh in the squad.
The attacking front is spearheaded by Wilmar Jordan Gil and Daniel Chima Chukwu, with Gil aiming to become the top scorer of the Super Cup.
With a total of eight goals across various editions, Jordan, who was the leading scorer in the 2023 cup, is just one goal behind Sunil Chhetri in the all-time rankings.
Chennaiyin enters the tournament following an impressive 5-2 victory over Jamshedpur FC in their last league match in March.
The Marina Machans dedicated three weeks to local training and played a friendly against East Bengal FC in Kolkata as part of their preparation for the Super Cup.
Coyle acknowledged the challenge posed by Mumbai City, stating, 'We understand the difficulty of the match; they are an exceptional team with remarkable players, both foreign and domestic.'
'We are eager for the game, and when we perform at our best, we can compete with the top teams. The Super Cup presents a fantastic opportunity for everyone, especially with an AFC spot at stake. There’s a significant incentive to strive for victory and win the cup.'
Shields, who excelled in the ISL 2024-25 with eight assists and the highest number of chances created (76) in 21 matches, joined Coyle at the press conference.
'Our finish in the ISL wasn't ideal, but we've been training hard for three weeks, and everyone is prepared to perform,' Shields remarked.
Chennaiyin and Mumbai City have a competitive history in this tournament.
The teams have clashed three times in the Super Cup, with Chennaiyin winning once at this stage in 2019, which ignited their journey to the final.
This historical context adds an intriguing element to Wednesday's match, with the victor moving on to face either Bengaluru FC or Inter Kashi in the quarterfinals.
Coyle also confirmed that there are no new injury issues, except for Laldinliana Renthlei, who is still recovering from a long-term injury and will not be part of the squad.