Mumbai: Atletico de Kolkata settled for a goalless draw against FC Pune City in their concluding group encounter of the Hero Indian Super League Season 3 in Kolkata on Friday.
The hosts were dominant from start to finish but could not translate their superiority into goals against Pune. The draw meant Kolkata are placed third on the table with 20 points and will play their crucial second-leg semi-final battle away. Pune City, on the other hand, were already out of reckoning for a place in semi-finals and ended up with 16 points from 14 matches to finish sixth, only ahead of Chennaiyin FC and FC Goa.
Top spot for grabs
It will be a battle for the top spot when Mumbai City FC host Delhi Dynamos in the penultimate game on Saturday.
The teams are already through to the semi-finals and will look to end their league engagements on a high.
Mumbai City are playing a game after eight days and will hope to carry their mojo which saw them crush Kerala Blasters and Chennaiyin FC 5-0 and 2-0 respectively, at the same venue. The hosts are staying pretty with 22 points in 13 games and a draw will be enough for them to finish on top. The Dynamos have scored highest number of goals (27) in the league but they are coming here after a 1-2 loss to hosts NorthEast Unite. The visitors will look for a better result ahead of the playoffs. At the moment, they have 20 points from 13 games.
When the teams met in the first leg in Delhi, the match had ended 3-3. The sides are likely to rest their over-burdened players and half-fit players to keep them fresh for the semi-finals.
Mumbai coach Alexandre Guimaraes, however, ruled out resting any fit player. “I am not going to rest any player. The player who will play have to be 100 per cent fit.”
Meanwhile, it was announced that Kochi will host the summit clash on December 18. The venues for the two-legged semi-finals are yet to be decided.
