Sergio Lobera: Odisha are doing a very good job this season

It's a must-win game for the Gaurs as they look to go to the top of the table.

FC Goa are looking to get right back to the top of the Indian Super League, but will face a daunting task against Odisha FC, who are undefeated at the Kalinga Stadium this season. Sergio Lobera and his men snatched a dramatic win over Kerala Blasters recently and need to keep their winning momentum going to end the campaign as league leaders. [KH_ADWORDS type="4" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS]

Coach’s Corner

Sergio Lobera emphasized strongly on the game’s importance for his side’s top-place chances and had some kind words for tomorrow's opponents. He said, “I think every match is important. We have four remaining matches in the league stages and for everyone else, it’s the same. For us, it’s a very important match because we need to finish at the top of the league." “Odisha are doing a very good job this season. They’re also in the running to play in the semi-finals. I think tomorrow we’ll witness a very good match. Odisha play very well. Their style is similar to ours. I hope the fans can enjoy the game and hopefully we can get three points,” he added. The Spaniard rued the departure of Aridane Santana due to injury for Odisha, but hailed them for getting an immediate replacement in Michael Onwu. He explained, “Yes, I think he’s a very good player. His injury is not good for football. It’s not good for the ISL, it’s not good for anybody." “As the coach of FC Goa, I’m not happy with this situation because the best players must play on the ground. But, the club has worked fast in getting a replacement and signed a very good player from Bengaluru. I think it’ll be a very difficult match against Odisha and we’ll need to give our 100% to win it,” he further quipped. Sergio Lobera also reiterated his pride for managing the Gaurs and explained that despite this season being very challenging for him, his side will work hardest to lift the ISL trophy. He stated, “I’m very happy and proud of my players.  I’m proud to be managing a team which has been so successful in the last 2-3 years. I have some very good memories from here last season, where we won the Super Cup." “Now, it’s a very difficult and competitive season with very good teams. Every team wants to win and the competitive level is very high as a result. For us, it’s a big challenge tomorrow. Hopefully, we can win the first spot and win the ISL. Our fans have dreams for us to win it and we’re working in this way to make it happen,” he further added. [KH_ADWORDS type="3" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS] The Gaurs' manager wasn’t jumping the gun on whether a win tomorrow can effectively seal their playoffs place, but explained that it’s important to get three points to keep charging forward. He said, “I think we need to go step-by-step into securing a place. Now, my focus is to win tomorrow’s match, as it’s an important one for us. After that, if’s it’s possible to recover the first spot and to get the playoffs, that’s good. But, the most important thing for us now is to get those three points.” Lobera also remained cautious when speaking on the poor condition of the Kalinga Stadium pitch, hoping that things improve tomorrow to help both teams. He said, “In this stadium, we have some very good memories. But, hopefully tomorrow the ground conditions will be improved.” “I’ve seen some matches on TV and maybe it’s not the best condition to play here. But, hopefully the conditions are better, as that’ll be good for both teams. We’re trying to play football and that’ll be better to help both teams,” Sergio Lobera concluded. [KH_RELATED_NEWS title="Related News | ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW"][/KH_RELATED_NEWS]

Team News

FC Goa don’t have any injuries right now and head into tomorrow’s tie with a fully fit squad available for selection.

Head-to-Head

The two sides have only met once in the ISL, with FC Goa winning the game 3-0 in the early part of the season.

Probable XI

Nawaz, Seriton, Fall, Pena, Mandar, Lenny, Jahouh, Jackichand, Boumous, Brandon, Corominas.

Broadcast

The game will be played at the Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar from 7:30 PM IST on Wednesday. It’ll be available to watch on the Star Sports Network. It'll also be available for streaming on Hotstar and Jio TV.