Odisha FC vs Kerala Blasters FC lineups, team news, prediction and preview

The Juggernauts will aim to build on their form but the Tuskers will be eager to return to winning ways.

Odisha FC will welcome Kerala Blasters FC to the Kalinga Stadium in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 on Thursday. The Juggernauts got their first win at home against Jamshedpur FC and will be confident when they face the Tuskers. Kerala Blasters got a point against Durand Cup 2024 champions NorthEast United FC in their last outing and will look to get a better result this time when they travel to Bhubaneswar.

Sergio Lobera’s team are currently placed in 10th place with three points and will look to add more points when they face Mikael Stahre’s men. The visitors will, however, be determined to give a tough challenge to the home team and fans can expect an intense battle on the pitch.

In this context, let’s take a look at how things are shaping up ahead of the game.

The Stakes

Odisha FC

The Juggernauts can finally be happy with their first win of the season, but there are a lot of expectations from them after bringing in high-profile signings like Hugo Boumous and Rahim Ali. Lobera‘s men will have to make a statement in their next home game as they need to climb the points table if they are to hope for a playoff spot.

It will be both a concern and a relief for the Spanish tactician since his upcoming opponents and the Kalinga Warriors have given each other a tough time on the pitch whenever they’ve locked horns. This mouthwatering fixture is all the more important for Odisha FC as they have to maintain their winning streak to get more points in their bag and build a foolproof case as title contenders.

Kerala Blasters FC

Kerala Blasters will be satisfied with how they have started their new season. Mikael Stahre still demands more from his players as he knows that his team has a lot of quality. They did perform well against the Highlanders in the last match but they need to address their finishing issues urgently.

Against the Juggernauts, they will not get many openings as they are very compact at the back. This match is crucial for them as winning this fixture will get them to a good position on the points table.

Injury and Team News

Odisha FC will miss their captain Carlos Delgado for this fixture, but the rest of the players are fit and will be available for the match.

Adrian Luna is still doubtful for the match, but Kerala Blasters don’t have any injury concerns otherwise.

Head-to-Head

Total Matches Played: 23

Odisha FC: 8

Kerala Blasters FC: 8

Draws: 7

Predicted Lineups

Odisha FC (4-2-3-1):

Amrinder Singh(GK), Jerry Lalrinzuala, Mourtada Fall, Thoiba Singh Moirangthem, Amey Ranawade; Puitea, Ahmed Jahouh; Isak Vanlalruatfela, Hugo Boumous, Jerry Mawihmingthanga; Diego Mauricio

Kerala Blasters FC (4-3-3):

Sachin Suresh (GK); Sandeep Singh, Pritam Kotal, Milos Drincic, Naocha Singh; Alexandre Coeff, Vibin Mohanan, Danish Farooq; Rahul KP, Jesus Jimenez, Noah Sadaoui

Players to Watch

Ahmed Jahouh (Odisha FC)

Ahmed Jahouh is the backbone of Odisha’s midfield and a leader on the pitch. Jahouh’s time with FC Goa and Mumbai City FC has turned him into an ISL veteran thus making him an important part of the team. The first two matches of the season were disappointing but the Juggernauts bounced back and beat the Red Miners in which Jahouh played a key role.

Without him in midfield, the team lacks creativity, proper communication, and that cutting edge in switching play. Jahouh’s set-piece prowess and laser-guided precision while prying the defense open and breaking defensive lines, or serving it on a plate for the wider players, will be crucial for the Kalinga Warriors to operate against a disciplined Tuskers’ side.

Noah Sadaoui (Kerala Blasters FC)

The Moroccan wing wizard has adapted to his new club very well and has hit the ground running with goals for his team. Fans have a lot of expectations from Noah Sadaoui and the attacker is giving his best in every match to fulfill those expectations. He is a player who has a lot of sought-after qualities and is one of the best foreign players in the league.

Noah’s versatility has troubled all ISL teams this season, be it East Bengal, NorthEast United, or Punjab FC. Switching between flanks can disrupt any team’s marking patterns whether it is zonal or man-to-man, and the wide forward has picked that up brilliantly.

Add to that his ambidexterity combined with dribbling expertise, and Noah is a lethal threat to any side either while cutting inside on his own, or creating opportunities. Odisha FC has earlier demonstrated a vulnerability towards fast counters and players of similar mold like Farukh Choudhary and Noah Sadaoui might just be able to prey on the same once more.

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Did You Know?

• The most common result of matches between Odisha FC and Kerala Blasters FC when the former is playing at home is 2-1 as three matches have ended with this result.
• Odisha FC scores 2.26 goals when playing at home and Kerala Blasters FC scores 1.31 goals when playing away (on average).
• When playing at home, Odisha FC have not lost to Kerala Blasters FC in their last three encounters.

Telecast

The Odisha FC vs Kerala Blasters clash will take place at the Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar on Thursday (3rd October). It will kick off at 07:30 PM IST.

Viewers can watch the match live for free on Jio Cinema (English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam). The game will also be telecast live on Sports 18 — 3 (English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam), and Asianet Plus (Malayalam).

International viewers can also watch the game on the OneFootball app.

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