Preview: Hyderabad, FC Goa meet in battle for top spot

Both teams are yet to lose a game this season.

The upcoming Indian Super League match between Hyderabad FC and FC Goa at the G.M.C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium is gearing up to be an exciting one. Manolo Marquez’s men have won two of their opening three matches, while Carlos Pena’s stint as head coach of the Gaurs began with two wins in two matches.

Both teams are contenders to qualify for the playoffs this year. Despite early stages in the league, winning against a direct competitor will be a huge advantage later on. It is hard to predict which team will win the upcoming contest due to the parity in the abilities of both camps. 

Here is what one can expect from the upcoming clash between Hyderabad FC vs FC Goa:

The Stakes

Hyderabad FC have a huge task of defending their title. Winning the 2021-22 ISL Trophy was a massive achievement by the Nizams and the challenge ahead is even harder. However, Manolo Marquez deserves huge credit for continuing from where his team left off. They are undefeated in the ISL after the first three games and look balanced in all departments. They are one of the few teams in the league who have both domestic and foreign players deliver equally to the overall success.

FC Goa have to deliver on the huge expectations on its shoulders. The Gaurs had a very disappointing campaign last year, finishing in ninth place and losing out on playoff qualification. Now, the club have Carlos Pena at the helm who has previously played for the club and understands the style and culture of the outfit. He must deliver playoff qualification this season. With two wins from two opening games, the start could not be better for the Gaurs and their hopeful fans.

Team News

Dheeraj Singh has travelled with the squad and is back in training after receiving an injury against Chennaiyin FC. That apart, both teams have a fully fit squad for the clash with no injury concerns reported ahead of the match.

Head-to-Head

To date, Hyderabad FC and FC Goa have clashed six times in the ISL. FC Goa have won three of those meetings, while Hyderabad FC have won one and two matches have resulted in draws. Goa also lead the head-to-head records in the number of goals scored (10) in comparison to Hyderabad (6)

Probable Lineups

Hyderabad FC Predicted XI: Laxmikant Kattimani (GK); Odei Onaindia, Chinglensana Singh, Akash Mishra, Nikhil Poojary; Hitesh Sharma, Joao Victor, Mohammad Yasir; Halicharan Narzary, Bartholomew Ogbeche, Javier Siverio.

FC Goa Predicted XI: Arshdeep Singh (GK); Seriton Fernandes, Anwar Ali, Marc Hernandez, Aibanbha Dohling; Eduardo Bedia, Glan Martins; Noah Wail Sadaoui, Brandon Fernandes, Redeem Tlang; Iker Guarrotxena.

Man to Watch

Bartholomew Ogbeche (Hyderabad FC)

Bartholomew Ogbeche once again proved that one cannot overlook the threat he brings to the table. The Nigerian was marked closely by Bengaluru FC defenders in the previous match and yet they could not stop him from scoring the winning goal, despite some assistance from Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s error. 

His partnership with Siverio allows Ogbeche to fall deep and influence the game, which he did well against the Blues. The Gaurs must find a way to keep the striker silent or he will hurt their chances of winning.

Noah Sadaoui (FC Goa)

Noah Sadaoui was immense for FC Goa in their 2-0 win over Chenniaiyin FC. The attacker not only scored the second goal but also was the provider for the first. Across the 90 minutes, the 29-year-old was always a source of threat against the Marina Machans.

The Nizams have a strong defensive line which kept BFC quiet and secured a clean-sheet. However, Sadaoui is new to the ISL and it will be the first time Hyderabad FC face him. If not careful, then he could be the difference maker in the fixture.

Did You Know?

• Carlos Pena made 43 appearances as a player for FC Goa.
• Noah Sadaoui was born in Casablanca, Morocco.
• Both Bartholomew Ogbeche and Carlos Pena have previously played for Real Valladolid in Spain.

Telecast

The live telecast of the Hyderabad FC vs FC Goa match will be available on the Star Sports Network. The live stream of the fixture can be viewed on Disney+Hotstar and JioTV. Kick-off is at 5:30 PM on Saturday.