MANCHESTER (Interstat) — Manchester will begin its women’s professional basketball season at home Sunday against London, with both clubs carrying 0-0 records into the matchup. The game offers an early chance for either side to establish momentum in a campaign that is just getting underway.

Manchester’s most recent outing ended in a narrow road loss, as it fell at Caledonia 87-82. That result followed a competitive performance that showed Manchester could score in bunches, though it came up short down the stretch. The home side will look to use its own court to smooth out late-game execution and open the new season with a win.

London also enters after a road defeat, having dropped a 93-72 decision at Essex in its most recent game. The visiting side will aim to tighten its defense and find more consistent offense after allowing Essex to pull away. London will try to turn the page quickly and spoil Manchester’s home opener.

Both teams are 0-0, so the early standings offer little separation. A victory would give Manchester a positive start in front of its home crowd, while London would gain a valuable road result against a fellow season-opening opponent. The matchup also gives each team an early look at how its roster responds in a competitive setting.

Manchester’s upcoming schedule includes a road trip to Sheffield before returning home to face Leicester. It will then visit Essex, host Cardiff and travel to Newcastle. Later, Manchester is set to host Nottingham, visit Caledonia, host Oaklands, host Essex and visit Oaklands again. Those games will test Manchester’s depth and consistency across a busy stretch.

London’s next games begin with a home meeting against Caledonia. London will then host Nottingham, visit Leicester, host Oaklands, visit Sheffield, visit Newcastle, visit Cardiff, visit Oaklands, host Essex and visit Newcastle. That run includes several road challenges and opportunities to build rhythm on both ends.

For Manchester, the focus will be on carrying its scoring ability into the opener while avoiding the slow stretches that hurt it in its last game. For London, the priority will be defensive improvement and better shot selection after its most recent loss. Both sides will also look to control turnovers and rebounds, areas that often decide close early-season games.

London and Manchester have yet to play this season, making the scouting report less certain. Manchester’s home advantage could matter, but London has enough experience to keep the game competitive. The teams will meet with both looking to set a tone for the weeks ahead.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Manchester 80, London 72.