Both sides head into the fixture in a rich vein of form, with hosts Sreenidi Deccan flying high after three straight wins, the latest of which came against defending champions Gokulam Kerala FC. Another three points could potentially take them to the top of the league standings. Mohammedan, meanwhile, have come back strong after a sluggish start to the season with consecutive victories at home against Manipuri sides NEROCA FC and TRAU FC.

Their past meetings in the previous season have proved to be quite exciting games as well, with Mohammedan winning 3-1 in the League phase and producing a late comeback to snatch a 2-2 draw in the Championship phase.

Addressing the media at the pre-match press conference, Sreenidi Deccan FC Head Coach Carlos Vaz Pinto stated that his side his expecting a difficult challenge. He said, “My players did well against Gokulam Kerala. They showed commitment, executed the plans well and they are keeping up with the processes we have built since pre-season. But now, that game is in the past and we are focussed on tomorrow. We expect a difficult match for us, but also for Mohammedan. They have a very good squad with many quality players, led by an experienced coach.”