ISL 2023-24: FC Goa vs Mohun Bagan: Preview, Predicted lineup, injury news, H2H, telecast details

Mohun Bagan have a better head-to-head record over FC Goa.

FC Goa will eye a chance to go to the top of the Indian Super League (ISL) table when they host a rejuvenated Mohun Bagan side at the Fatorda Stadium, Goa on Valentine’s Day. The Gaurs are showing no signs of slowing down and remain undefeated in the ISL, but face an opposition side brimming with quality and high on confidence after the arrival of new head coach Antonio Habas.

The Stakes

FC Goa

FC Goa might have slumped in the Super Cup, but they are still going strong in the ISL Shield title race. They have played three games fewer than current league leaders Odisha FC, and can actually go joint with them atop of the table with a win over Mohun Bagan.

Manolo Marquez, however, will not let his side grow complacent and make them treat every remaining game as a final. The Gaurs need to bring their very best to oust this Mohun Bagan side, but a big win at home can further add fuel to their fire of charging for the ISL Shield title. A draw won’t be the worst result, but a loss can end up being an unnecessary hurdle and cause their sky-high confidence levels to plummet down.

Mohun Bagan

Mohun Bagan have found some sense of regularity under new coach Antonio Habas and were able to get a much-needed win before this huge clash against FC Goa. The Mariners are quite behind in the ISL Shield race, but definitely not out yet. A big win against the Gaurs can rifle them back into becoming possible contenders for the championship.

Habas needs to ensure that his side, which are hampered by injuries, bring their absolute best to the table and can produce their best performance of the season to get a win. Becoming the first side to beat FC Goa in the ISL this season can be a massive booster for the Mohun Bagan players and validate the quality of the squad. A draw won’t be the worst result, while a loss can basically end their shield-winning dreams – as it would then leave them eight points behind the Gaurs.

Injury and Team News

FC Goa are still going to miss prolific defender Sandesh Jhingan after he sustained a bad knee injury in the AFC Asian Cup. Victor Rodriguez is also out for the rest of the season.

Mohun Bagan are going to miss the likes of Brendan Hamill and Ashique Kuruniyan for this game. However, the Mariners could welcome back the likes of Anwar Ali, Asish Rai and Liston Colaco.

Head-to-Head

Matches Played – 7

FC Goa wins – 2

Mohun Bagan wins – 4

Draws – 1

Predicted Lineups

FC Goa (4-2-3-1)

Arshdeep Singh (GK), Seriton Fernandes, Odei Onaindia, Carl McHugh, Jay Gupta, Rowllin Borges, Raynier Fernandes, Mohammad Yasir, Brandon Fernandes, Noah Sadaoui, Carlos Martinez

Mohun Bagan (3-4-1-2)

Vishal Kaith (GK), Anwar Ali, Hector Yuste, Subashish Bose, Asish Rai, Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Abdul Samad, Manvir Singh, Joni Kauko, Dimitri Petratos, Armando Sadiku

Players to Watch

Noah Sadaoui (FC Goa)

Noah Sadaoui proved to be a nightmare for Mohun Bagan in the reverse fixture in December, scoring a brilliant brace that was composed of some slick finishing. Now without a goal in three appearances, the 30-year-old aims to regain his goal-scoring form against the Mariners.

Sadaoui has been quite the menacing figure for the Gaurs this season, averaging 2 shots on target per game and 1.3 chances created. He’ll look to use his pace and clever movement to get in behind the Mohun Bagan backline and again get himself into prime scoring situations to test Vishal Kaith and amplify his side’s goal-scoring threat.

Dimitri Petratos (Mohun Bagan)

Dimitri Petratos seems to have rediscovered his groove under Habas and is playing quite an influential role in the attack. He is given the utmost freedom to take control of possession in the key attacking areas and create chances for teammates. The Australian forward also loves to make clever runs into the box to get at the end of chances and will look to work his magic against FC Goa too.

Petratos excels at taking set-pieces and also opening up a defensive shape with his clever passing, but he’ll have to be at his clinical best to expose the vulnerabilities of this rock-solid FC Goa backline and cause them major problems.

Did you know?

• Noah Sadaoui has only scored in two ISL games so far this season, one of which included his brace against Mohun Bagan.
• Mohun Bagan have averaged 1.9 goals per game in the ISL in this campaign, the joint-highest for any team.
• Brandon Fernandes (23) has created more goal-scoring chances than any Indian player in the ISL.

Telecast

The FC Goa vs Mohun Bagan game kicks off at 7:30 PM IST, at the Fatorda Stadium, Goa on February 14, 2024. Live telecast of the fixture will be available on the Sports18 Network (Sports18 1/VH1 channel). Live streaming of the game will be available on the JioCinema app. Viewers from abroad can use OneFootball to stream the game.

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