Preview: Odisha seek to climb Goa mountain in search of first win

The Juggernauts are yet to win their first game of the season.

Odisha FC will face in-form FC Goa in their next game of the ongoing Indian Super League 2020-21 season. The Bhubaneswar-based outfit have struggled to find any rhythm and are yet to register a victory. Stuart Baxter has not been able to field a full-strength squad yet, with several players either injured or not match fit.

FC Goa, on the other hand, have shown glimpses of the quality they have, but have suffered from inconsistency. Juan Ferrando, another new coach trying to find his feet in Indian football, would like to see his players repeat their performance against Kerala Blasters, when they face-off with the Juggernauts.

The Stakes

With several new recruits and a new coach at the helm, the transition from last season to this was not going to be smooth. However, with only one point in the first four games and only two goals scored, the pressure is mounting on the tactician to turn things around.

A disappointing defeat against Mumbai City FC last time around seemed like two steps backward for Stuart Baxter’s men, after the team played good football and showed promise despite the narrow defeat to ATK Mohun Bagan in the preceding fixture.

FC Goa come into this game after a well-earned three points against struggling Kerala Blasters. The 3-1 victory saw Juan Ferrando’s men finally clicking in the final third and showcasing their attacking prowess.

The outfit have clearly suffered after losing a major chunk of their star players, coach to Mumbai City and have had an inconsistent start to the current campaign. Despite that, finally securing the opening victory could act as a motivational factor for them, which will certainly give them confidence to earn more points and take a place among the top teams in the points table.

Team News

Odisha FC have suffered greatly with a reduced choice of options available due to injuries in the initial stages. Vinit Rai has continued to be absent and is uncertain to start soon. Marcelinho is recovering from a shoulder knock and whether he will start the game or not is still uncertain. Custodian Kamaljit Singh will probably miss out too, after suffering a severe concussion during the game against MCFC.

One should expect FC Goa to field the same lineup that they played against KBFC. The Spaniard was smart in taking off players who needed minutes in their tank and the Gaurs have been lucky on the injury front.  

Probable Lineups

Odisha FC: Kumar (GK), Sarangi, Tratt, Taylor, D’Souza, Bora, Alexander, Jerry, Marcelinho, Nandhakumar, Mauricio.

FC Goa:  Nawaz (GK), Seriton, Donachie, Gonzalez, Gama, Bedia, Lenny, Jesuraj, Brandon, Angulo, Ortiz. 

Head-to-Head

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HT6GtXJMxQw

Odisha FC and FC Goa have only contested two matches after the former made their entry into the league last season. In the two meetings, the Gaurs emerged as victors on both occasions, with scorelines of 3-0 and 4-2 in their favour. 

Man to Watch

Diego Mauricio (Odisha FC)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clX70x3Q3Jc

The Brazilian striker has proved deadly in the previous games. He is constantly on the move behind the defensive line and is a tireless workhorse without the ball, who will press relentlessly. He has scored the only two goals that OFC have managed this season and one of them proves his striking prowess from range too.

FC Goa defenders will have their work cut out when they face Mauricio, who also has a physical presence, as he can drop deep and use his hold-up play to slot through balls for oncoming wingers in the channels. Defenders will have to be wary of the threat he will pose and OFC will bank on him to end their goalless run of the last two games.

ALSO READ: Indian Super League 2020-21: Five things we learned from Gameweek 4

Igor Angulo (FC Goa)

Igor Angulo has hit the ground running and has proved to be one of the best finishers in the ISL this term. While stepping into Ferran Corominas’ shoes is not an easy job by any means, the Spaniard has, however, set the stage on fire by scoring five goals in four games, putting him level with Nerijus Valskis in the race for the Golden Boot award.

The striker has a knack for being in the right place at the right time and has the tendency to make smart runs. His finishing ability is one of the best and his two goals against KBFC in the last fixture were crucial. Odisha defenders need to keep their eyes on Angulo, who uses his movement to slip past markers and score out of nowhere. 

Did You Know?

• Odisha have trailed in each of their first four games.
• Odisha have the second-worst attack after SC East Bengal, having scored only two goals so far this season.
• FC Goa are the highest scoring team in the ISL’s history with 211 goals, 43 more than second-placed Chennaiyin FC.

Telecast

The match between Odisha FC and FC Goa is set to be telecast 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.