Ranchi: High on confidence after holding the defending champions Delhi Waveriders to a 2-2 draw in their last encounter, Ranchi Rays will look to go for an outright win when they take on Dabang Mumbai in their Hockey India League match, on Thursday.
A win here will help the Rays (7 pts) share the top spot with Jaypee Punjab Warriors (12 pts) in the table, while the Dabangs will aspire to post their first triumph in the ongoing League.
The two teams had earlier also met once in the ongoing League, where Barry Middleton's brace had helped the Rays beat Mumbai team 2-1 on their home turf.
Come tomorrow, Ranchi Rays will be looking to repeat their last performance.
With some key players like Middleton, Manpreet Singh and Birendra Lakra in their line-up, the Ashley Jackson-led Ranchi Rays have been performing brilliantly in the League so far, and they would certainly step on to their home turf with an aim to gain another five points from this match.
Equipped with an effective attack and a strong defence, the hosts will have an added advantage against the Dabangs with the home team fans cheering for them.
The Dabangs, on the other hand, will be hoping to put up a better show and ensure they don't replicate same errors of the previous games.
The newfangled Dabang Mumbai with players like the young Harmanpreet Singh, Chinglensana Singh, Tom Boon and Matthew Swann in their ranks, have one of the finest teams in the League and if they play to their full potential, they can be a threat to the Rays.
Speaking on the eve of the match, Mumbai player Tom Boon said: "We have taken lessons from our last games and have been working to rectify them. I am sure the team will not repeat the mistakes in the forthcoming games and will play better in the rest of the tournament."
Coach Valentin Altenburg added: "We really have to get our defence together. Harmanpreet and Chinglensana have played really well in the last match and I look forward to similar performance from them in the upcoming games. I believe we can make a comeback in the next match."
Ranchi Rays vs Dabang Mumbai at 1900 hrs IST at Astroturf Hockey Stadium, Ranchi.
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