Odisha Vs NorthEast United Preview: Juggernauts in search of first win

The Highlanders haven't tasted victory in the last three games.

Odisha FC and NorthEast United FC will lock horns in their next Indian Super League fixture. While the former are yet to register a win in the 2020-21 campaign, the latter have only lost one game. 

Stuart Baxter’s men are sitting at the bottom of the points table after going down to Bengaluru FC by a scoreline of 2-1 in their last game. On the other hand, Gerard Nus’ men were handed their first defeat of the term by Jamshedpur FC, leaving them winless in the last three games. 

With both teams having a lot to prove and reeling from defeats, the contest is surely going to be fiery.

The Stakes

Stuart Baxter is under a lot of pressure. His team have lost five of their six games, with the other being a draw. The head coach is visibly feeling the pressure and the players are lacking confidence to fulfill the demands of the tactician.

The Juggernauts have an inexperienced squad, which has become the primary reason for their failure in the past fixtures. Their inability to dominate possession is completely opposite to how the club played last year. Clearly, the team needs to collect some points, otherwise the management might have to take harsh decisions. 

[KH_ADWORDS type="4" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS]

Gerard Nus established himself as one of the coaches to watch out for this season. Under him, the Highlanders had started impeccably and won two out of their first four fixtures. Their relentless nature and playing as a unit caught everyone’s eye. 

However, the last three games have come as a reality-check. Two draws and a defeat have derailed their progress and work needs to be done to get back to winning ways. Perhaps, coming face-to-face with a struggling opposition would be the ideal chance to get three points and go further up the table.

Team News

Odisha FC have an injury-free squad apart from Marcelinho, who has been nursing a shoulder problem and might start from the bench again. The 4-3-3 system has yielded better results and has enabled Baxter to utilize both Manuel Onwu and Diego Mauricio, so expect a similar lineup from last game.

NorthEast United will have the dilemma of starting Luis Machado while the two-striker system is in place. Further, iit is uncertain if their creative mastermind Federico Gallego is fit enough to start the game yet. One can expect a couple of last-minute changes to the team.  

Probable Lineups

Odisha FC: Arshdeep, Sarangi, Tratt, Taylor, Antonay, Bora, Alexander, Rai, Jerry, Mauricio, Onwu.

NorthEast United FC: Gurmeet, Mehta, Lambot, Fox, Kumar, Meetei, Lalengmawia, Camara, Rochharzela, Appiah, Sylla.

[KH_ADWORDS type="3" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS]

Head-to-Head

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZKBR6kYuQ0

The sides have met twice before and have won one game each. While their first meeting was won by NEUFC with a scoreline of 2-1, the next game, also the last encounter between the two, ended 2-1 in OFC’s favour. 

ALSO READ: ISL: Top five biggest rivalries in the league’s history

Man to Watch

Steven Taylor (Odisha FC)

Odisha FC depend on their skipper for inspiration and motivation. He leads the team from the back and is always the target from set-pieces. For the Juggernauts to keep a clean-sheet, they need Taylor to perform and the defence to follow his instructions.

The former Newcastle United player scored last time around after latching on to a cross inside the box and will again be the danger man. The opposition defenders need to ensure Taylor is marked during set-piece situations, otherwise he would definitely hurt them. 

Idrissa Sylla (NorthEast United FC)

Idrissa Sylla’s performances in earlier games compelled Nus to start him in the subsequent fixtures. His two goals ensured important draws against Kerala Blasters and FC Goa. The coach further shifted the formation in a way that would allow both Sylla and Kwesi Appiah to start together.

Slowly, the 30-year-old has become central to their attacking strategy and his hold up play is crucial in the build-up. He is a constant threat in the box from dead-ball situations due to his towering physicality and decent control over the ball. 

[KH_ADWORDS type="2" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS]

Did You Know?

• At 35 years old, Gerard Nus is the youngest coach in the ISL 2020-21 season.
• Odisha FC have committed the least number of fouls in the league so far, with 73 in six fixtures.
• At 52, Odisha FC have the lowest number of shots attempted in the league after six fixtures.

Telecast

The match between Odisha FC and NorthEast United FC 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.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Twitter, Instagram and join our community on Telegram.