Guwahati, Jan 28 : NorthEast United FC will host Hyderabad FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, here on Wednesday with one eye on cementing their position in the top-six in the points table.

NorthEast United FC are currently sixth in the points table, with 25 points from 17 matches, having won six games and drawn seven. Hyderabad FC, on the other hand, are placed at the penultimate spot with 13 points from 17 matches, with three wins and four draws. The Highlanders are facing stiff competition from Odisha FC (24), Kerala Blasters FC (21), and Punjab FC (20), who follow them respectively in the standings.

The Highlanders are looking to register consecutive wins over Hyderabad FC for the first time in ISL history, having beaten them 5-2 in the reverse fixture earlier this season. A triumph in this encounter would also mark NorthEast United FC's first league double over Hyderabad FC.

However, the Highlanders are struggling at home, remaining winless in their last four home games (D3 L1), including three consecutive draws. They will need to reverse this trend to bolster their charge for a top-six finish. The last time they underwent a longer winless home streak in a single season was in 2022 when they faced five straight defeats.

Hyderabad FC are entering the match on the back of a 3-2 win over Jamshedpur FC, furthering their unbeaten stretch to three games (W1 D2). The team will be looking to bag back-to-back wins for the first time since their five-game winning sequence in the 2022-23 season. Hyderabad FC's recent scoring form, netting in each of their last three matches, reflects positivity, especially after they were unable to find the back of the net in nine of their first 14 games this season.

The Highlanders are the fourth-highest-scoring team in the league, netting 31 times in 17 encounters. Alaaeddine Ajaraie has been a trump card for them with 15 goals, whereas Guillermo Fernandes and Nestor Albiach follow him with four strikes each.

Hyderabad FC are the second-least-scoring team in the competition with 15 goals. Together, Andrei Alba and Allan De Souza Miranda have been the sole consistent candidates for them upfront, since they have struck thrice each - the highest in the team. Jithin M.S. and Ajaraie's five assists each too have been a critical component of NorthEast United FC's frontline plays.

The two teams have faced each other 11 times in the ISL, with Hyderabad FC winning six games, and NorthEast United FC emerging victorious twice. Three encounters have produced draws.

NorthEast United FC head coach Juan Pedro Benali asserted the magnitude of this match for his team. 'It's a final for us and we need to work hard and get the points. It's a final for them too, because they're a good team and they don't want to be down,' he said.

Hyderabad FC interim head coach Shameel Chembakath said that his team has taken significant confidence from their win in the last match. 'The victory was a big positive for us, especially at home. However, the confidence boost that it has given us is even more important,' he said.

/IANS