Bengaluru FC vs FC Goa lineups, team news, prediction & preview

The Blues will be looking to get their second win in a row against the Gaurs.

Indian Super League (ISL) club Bengaluru FC will be looking to continue their winning momentum when they face FC Goa at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in match week 12. While the Blues have had a tough couple of games in recent weeks, the Gaurs are currently on a four-game winning streak.

Bengaluru FC are entering this match riding high after a spirited 4-2 win over Kerala Blasters, while FC Goa are coming on the back of an impressive 2-0 win over Hyderabad FC in matchweek 11.

The Blues head coach Gerard Zaragoza will be looking forward to getting his revenge for the reverse fixture which they lost 3-0 to Manolo Marquez’s men.

The Stakes

Bengaluru FC

The Blues’ recent victory has been attributed to the stepping up of veteran squad players like Sunil Chhetri, who have been crucial in recent games. In their last three games this season, the Blues have recorded 6 out of a possible 9 points. As club captain, Chhetri has been in stellar form and led the way for his team via inspired performances in adverse situations.

A win for Bengaluru would be a huge morale boost for Zaragoza and his men and sweet revenge for the reverse fixture. With an opportunity to improve on their head-to-head record, the Blues will be fighting for all three points.

FC Goa

The Gaurs come into the match as the in-form team in the league currently. The Gaurs have accumulated 13 points in their last 5 games under head coach Manolo Marquez. The game against Bengaluru FC might be coming at the best possible time for the Gaurs and Marquez, who showed their class in the reverse fixture.

For Goa, a victory would help them cement themselves as a playoff contender in the eyes of their opponents. The Spaniard will be going head-to-head against his fellow Spaniard, in Zaragoza, which can be an intense encounter that enthralls ISL fans.

Injury and Team News

The Gaurs and the Blues are expected to field a fully fit XI for the highly anticipated encounter.

Head-to-head

Matches Played– 16

FC Goa Wins– 5

Bengaluru FC Wins– 6

Draws– 5

ALSO READ: Muhammad Hammad rejoins Real Kashmir from FC Goa

Lineups

Bengaluru FC (4-4-2)

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK); Chinglensana Singh, Aleksandar Jovanovic, Rahul Bheke, Naorem Roshan Singh; Rohit Danu, Alberto Noguera, Pedro Capo, F Lalremtluanga; Edgar Mendez, Sunil Chhetri

FC Goa (4-2-3-1)

Hritik Tiwari (GK); Akash Sangwan, Sandesh Jhingan, Odei Onaindia, Boris Singh, Ayush Chhetri, Sahil Tavora, Dejan Drazic, Iker Guarrotxena, Mohammed Yasir; Armando Sadiku

Players to watch

Sunil Chhetri (Bengaluru FC)

The 40-year-old again showed his class in their last game against Kerala Blasters FC and put in a man-of-the-match performance. The Indian legend has scored eight goals and supplied an assist so far in eleven matches. He is also the top scorer for his side and a vital player ahead of one of their biggest games of the season.

Chhetri continues to live up to the moniker of ‘Captain, Leader, Legend’ as the Blues continue to get inspired by his overall play. The Indian legend’s presence on the side will be key to Bengaluru FC’s energetic start to the game against the Gaurs. Head coach Gerard Zaragoza will be hoping Chhetri can again lead the side by example against Kerala.

Boris Singh (FC Goa)

Singh has been a standout performer for FC Goa this season and continues to impress Marquez. Boris and his attacking style complemented by his work ethic make him a key player for them this season. His ability to create chances and pepper the opponent’s goal with shots make him a constant threat to opposition defenses.

He has also excelled in defensive duties. His 2 clean sheets in 2 starting eleven appearances at right-back, show his versatility to fulfill his defensive responsibilities. His ability to win the ball back and initiate counter-attacks will be crucial for FC Goa’s success against Bengaluru.

Did You Know?

• Bengaluru FC haven’t lost in any of their last 9 home games.
• Bengaluru FC scores 0.8 goals in a match against FC Goa while FC Goa scores 1.4 goals in a match against Bengaluru FC (on average).
• FC Goa have just lost 1 of their last five outings against Bengaluru FC.
• When FC Goa leads 0-1 in away games, they win 62% of their matches.

Telecast

The match between Bengaluru FC and FC Goa will take place at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, 14th December 2024. It will kick off at 5:00 PM IST.

The match will be shown live on Sports 18 and be available for streaming on Jio Cinema. International viewers can also watch the match on the OneFootball app.

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