FC Goa vs East Bengal lineups, team news, prediction & preview

FC Goa sit at the third spot in the ISL table.
FC Goa will look to get back to winning ways when they face a dejected East Bengal side in the Indian Super League (ISL) on Sunday (19 January). The Gaurs can get closer to the top spot by picking up three points, but will also be facing a hungry Red & Gold Brigade who are absolutely desperate to get back to winning ways.
The Stakes
FC Goa
FC Goa realizes that dropping any more points can force them to move completely adrift of the title race heading into the final months. That is why they need to be more efficient than they’ve recently been to rediscover that spark and winning momentum.
They realize that a loss to this out-of-form East Bengal side can be catastrophic to their title hopes and potentially cause their confidence levels to plummet even further. Manolo Marquez has to ensure his side are clinical and strong with their performance to get three points and regain their swagger.
East Bengal
Oscar Bruzon’s East Bengal head into the match at the back of a three-match winless run that has done no good to their top-6 hopes. They are now again far behind that sixth place and there is no more room for them to slip up in the final stretch of the campaign. Bruzon has to reinvigorate his side and get them to take the fight to the Gaurs.
A win against a top side like FC Goa can significantly motivate the players’ belief of launching a late rally for the top-6 place. But a loss or even a draw can more or less end their playoff hopes and cause further dismay from the fans.
Team & Injury News
Carl McHugh is suspended for this match for picking up his fourth yellow card of the season against NorthEast United. Borja Herrera is, however, available for selection after avoiding a ban for his red card against Hyderabad FC.
Anwar Ali is out of action for the next few weeks for East Bengal with a knock. Saul Crespo and Mohamed Rakip’s availability is also under question. Souvik Chakrabarti is suspended after his red card against Mohun Bagan.
Head-to-Head
Matches Played – 9
East Bengal wins – 1
FC Goa wins – 6
Draws – 2
Probable Lineups
FC Goa (4-2-3-1)
Hritik Tiwari (GK), Boris Singh, Sandesh Jhingan, Odei Onaindia, Aakash Sangwan, Sahil Tavora, Borja Herrera, Mohammad Yasir, Dejan Dražić, Brison Fernandes, Armando Sadiku
East Bengal (4-2-3-1)
Prabhsukhan Gill (GK), Nishu Kumar, Hijazi Maher, Hector Yuste, Lalchhungnunga, Jeakson Singh, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Nandhakumar Sekar, VP Suhair, Cleiton Silva, Dimitrios Diamantakos
Players to Watch
Armando Sadiku (FC Goa)

Armando Sadiku’s form has slightly dipped in the second half of the season, with the forward only having one goal in the last seven games. But the ex-Mohun Bagan striker knows all too well what it takes to excel against East Bengal and will look to use this as a way to springboard his form upwards.
Sadiku can be a menacing figure in the opposition half, with his physical style and unpredictability making it difficult to keep him out when on song. Sadiku has to tap into his most clinical self and start converting the chances regularly for the Gaurs to get them on a significant winning run. He’ll look to regain his momentum by being a nightmare for the Red & Gold Brigade and ushering his side to a dominant win.
PV Vishnu (East Bengal)
One of the bright spots of East Bengal’s shaky 2024-25 ISL season has been the performances of PV Vishnu. The 23-year-old acts like a breath of fresh air in their attacking line, with his clever off the ball movement and brave tendency of bursting past defenders making him a major asset for East Bengal. But with Suhair not having a goal contribution in the last four league games, he’ll need to amp up his form to help Esat Bengal regain their winning run.
Vishnu has almost always been a threat with his dribbling ability and tendency to get into key positions, but he needs to improve his final product. Vishnu will look to be more accurate with his crosses into the box against FC Goa to help create chances for Dimitrios Diamantakos & co. He’ll also need to be braver in getting into more goal-scoring positions by himself to add that special spark in his side’s attacking style and help them unlock the Gaurs’ backline.
Did you know?
- Armando Sadiku is currently in third place in the ISL Golden Boot race, having nine goals so far.
- East Bengal have only conceded three goals from set-pieces this season, one of the best records in those situations in the ISL.
- FC Goa are unbeaten in their last five ISL games against East Bengal, having lost their only game to the Kolkata side in 2022.
Telecast Details
The match between FC Goa and East Bengal will take at the Fatorda Stadium, Goa on Sunday (January 19). It will kick off at 7:30 PM IST. The game will be broadcasted on the Sports 18 network and be live streamed on Jio Cinema. International viewers can catch out the action on the OneFootball app.
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