Not down and out yet: FC Pune's home run gives them advantage in unpredictable ISL

D-L-W-L-W-W-D-D-L-L. That’s the form of an inconsistent team — and if there is one in the Indian Super League, then it’s FC Pune City. But having lost just one game at home, the Hrithik Roshan co-owned team have made most of conditions at the Balewadi stadium and despite languishing in seventh place, will look at a run of three home games in a row as the ideal opportunity to climb back into the top four. Atletico de Kolkata, Mumbai City FC and Delhi Dynamos all travel to the small but imposing stadium where Franco Colomba’s men have managed to score seven out of 12 available points. And while Atletico are certainly the toughest of the lot, then Pune can take confidence from the fact that they’re the only team to have won in Kolkata. [caption id=“attachment_1827553” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Dudu celebrates a goal against Atletico de Kolkata. ISL[/caption] Atletico are also first up before slightly less-daunting oppositions. Even if Pune lose this game, then they’ll at least have the Spaniard-infused side out of the way before struggling Mumbai City. All in all, everything points to advantage Pune. “I haven’t set an objective of number of points to score from these next three games. It would be wrong to do that. I won’t go into a match thinking a point would be enough,” Colomba said at the pre-match press conference on Friday. But when Pune had a similar run in the middle of the tournament, their CEO Gaurav Modwel had set a target of seven points out of a possible nine in the taking — and Colomba achieved that objective to make it to the top four. It has gone downhill since then, but in a league which has seen each of the teams in the top four at least once, anything can happen. “It’s not possible to win every game in this league. You’ve seen how the results have gone, so no one can predict who is going to win,” Colomba said. Atletico striker Arnal Llibert said that he was not surprised with the topsy-turvy results: “Number one, you cannot compare this season to any other because it is the first. Second, this type of unpredictability happens because every team thinks they are strong. But it is good for the league – it keeps it alive for longer.” Pune City have 12 points to play for till the league stage ends — and the gap between table-toppers Chennaiyin and last placed Mumbai City is still just seven points. Out of the teams they need to catch — Atletico and FC Goa have more away games than home games left. Kerala Blasters have a game less to play but will be at home till the end of the league. Pune have a game extra and will be well rested in this final stretch. They simply cannot mess up now.