AFC Cup: Odisha FC vs Central Coast Mariners: Preview, Predicted lineup, injury news, H2H, telecast details

The Aussie club have a huge advantage going into the second leg of this AFC Cup tie.

Odisha FC are set to play the second leg of their 2023-24 AFC Cup inter-zonal semi-final against the Central Coast Mariners on 14 March 2024 at the Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar. Sergio Lobera’s men have a mountain to climb after suffering a humiliating 4-0 defeat in the first leg which puts them on the backfoot heading into the upcoming fixture.

The stakes are massive, particularly for the Indian Super League outfit. They are the underdogs and judging by the first leg, it will be a tough game for the winners of the 2023 Super Cup. Having said that, football has a funny way of producing surprising results when one least expects them. 

As the second leg nears, here is what to look out for from the upcoming clash between Odisha FC and Central Coast Mariners:

The Stakes

Odisha FC will be eliminated from the 2023-24 AFC Cup unless they pull out their best performance ever. Turning a four-goal deficit around will take a herculean effort. The Juggernauts can only hope to try and win the upcoming game and use the home advantage to their benefit. If not, then the team will be bidding adieu to continental football this season.

Central Coast Mariners are in a comfortable situation thanks to their brilliant performance in the first leg. The A-League side did not give their Indian Super League rivals any breathing space and could have scored more goals. The objective for the outfit is simply – to limit Odisha FC and see out the fixture without too many injuries, keeping the next stage of the competition in mind.

Injury & Team News

No injuries have been reported from either side.

Head to Head

Total Matches Played – 1

Odisha FC wins – 0

Central Coast Mariners wins – 1

Draws – 0

Predicted Lineups

Odisha FC (4-2-3-1)

Amrinder Singh (GK), Amey Ranawade, Mourtada Fall, Carlos Delgado, Vignesh Dakshinamurthy, Ahmed Jahouh, Puitea, Cy Goddard, Roy Krishna, Isak Vanlalruatfela, Diego Mauricio

Central Coast Mariners (4-4-2)

Danny Vukovic (GK), Storm Roux, Daniel Hall, Brian Kaltack, Jacob Farrell, Angel Torres, Brad Tapp, Maximillian Balard, Mikael Doka, Joshua Nisbet, Ryan Edmondson

Player To Watch

Diego Mauricio (Odisha FC)

Odisha FC had one shot on target in the first leg and it came from Diego Mauricio. The Brazilian looked like a threat and worked extremely hard. However, a lack of quality service did not help the cause and he was left isolated in the forward position with Central Coast Mariners dominating ball possession. The Juggernauts will be relying on the striker to add to his three goals in the AFC Cup.

Mikael Doka (Central Coast Mariners)

Mikael Doka was outstanding in the first leg, delivering two goals and one assist. His pace and directness caused plenty of problems for Odisha FC. Stopping him should be a priority for Sergio Lobera’s side if they hope to contain the Mariners in the upcoming contest.

Did You Know?

• Odisha FC have won one match from their last five (across all competitions).
• Central Coast Mariners are on a seven-match winning run.
• Central Coast Mariners were founded in 2004 and completed 20 years of their existence this year.

Telecast

The Odisha FC vs Central Coast Mariners match will be played at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on March 14 2024. The kick-off time is 3:30 PM IST. The live stream of this fixture will be available on the FanCode app.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.