Hyderabad Vs Odisha Preview: Nizams out to keep top four hopes alive

Manolo Marquez's men will move leevel on points with third-placed FC Goa with a win over the Juggernauts.

Confident Hyderabad FC take on bottom-placed Odisha FC at the Fatorda Stadium in an exciting Indian Super League clash on Tuesday. The Nizams are enjoying great form in the league, having won two out of their last three games. With a win, they can go level on points with FC Goa and might also leapfrog them if the winning margin is big enough.

On the other hand, Odisha have been really struggling in the league, winning just one game out of 11. Rooted at the bottom of the table, Stuart Baxter’s men will be desperate to get something positive from the game against Hyderabad.

The Stakes

Hyderabad FC are unbeaten in the last three games and will look to continue their positive flow against Odisha FC. A win will take them to 19 points, level with Goa, who enjoy a superior goal-difference compared to the Nizams. Manolo Marquez’s men should look to convert their chances, as they head into the business end of the season.

Odisha FC have yet again been poor this season and their position in the league reflects their misery so far. With only six points in 11 games, Stuart Baxter's side will need results on their side swiftly.

Team News

Manolo Marquez is expected to miss Fran Sandaza and Nikhil Poojary for this game as well, as they recover from their respective injuries. Souvik Chakrabarti, who had to return home for personal reasons will miss the game too.

The Juggernauts will breathe a sigh of relief as their in-form defender Jacob Tratt has served his suspension and will definitely return to action. Last match’s goalscorer Diego Mauricio could return to the starting lineup, replacing Marcelinho who hasn’t been at his best this season. Meanwhile, Manuel Onwu could be replaced by Daniel Lalhlimpuia to accommodate six Indians on the pitch.

Head-to-Head

Hyderabad FC and Odisha FC have met thrice before, with Odisha winning twice and Hyderabad FC once. Interestingly, both of Odisha’s wins came last season, with Hyderabad winning in the current campaign.

Probable Lineups

Hyderabad FC: Kattimani; Rai, Chinglensana, Onaindia, Mishra; Hitesh, Sastre; Yasir, Narzary, Chianese; Aridane.

Odisha FC: Arshdeep; Tratt, Taylor, Bora, Antonay; Alexander, Rai, Nandhakumar, Jerry; Lalhlimpuia, Mauricio.

Man to Watch

Roland Alberg (Hyderabad FC)

The Dutchman is highly-rated by head coach Manolo Marquez and one can expect Roland Alberg to get some more minutes on the pitch on Tuesday. Mainly an attacking midfielder, Alberg can play anywhere in midfield according to the demands of the team.

The 30-year-old has vast experience of playing in the US and Netherlands and will be a vital weapon for Marquez for the rest of the campaign.

Arshdeep Singh (Odisha FC)

Although Odisha have had a forgettable season so far, their young keeper Arshdeep Singh has shown glimpses of excellence throughout.

He is a promising player and has proved it time and again with his performances in the league. Odisha FC will be heavily relying on his gloves to save the day for the team.

Did You Know?

• Hyderabad FC have taken the second-highest number of shots (153) this season, trailing only to FC Goa.
• Despite being defenders, Asish Rai (470) and Akash Mishra (461) have made the highest number of passes for the Nizams this season.
• Stuart Baxter took the South Africa national team to the quarterfinal of the African Cup of Nations in 2019, beating Mohamed Salah’s Egypt, who were the tournament hosts and favourites.

Telecast

The match between Hyderabad FC and Odisha FC will be telecasted live on Star Sports 1 SD & HD, Star Sports 2 SD & HD (English), Star Sports Hindi 1 SD & HD, Star Sports 3 and several other regional languages. Live streaming of the match will be available on Hotstar and Jio TV.