ISL 2020-21 Preview: FC Goa desperate to get back to winning ways

ISL 2020-21: Having drawn its last six games, FC Goa will be eager to taste victory when it takes on bottom-placed Odisha FC in the Indian Super League on Wednesday.

Unbeaten in 10 games, FC Goa is currently placed fifth with 24 points.

Having drawn its last six games, FC Goa will be desperate to taste victory when it takes on bottom-placed Odisha FC in the Indian Super League (ISL 2020-21) clash at the Fatorda Stadium on Wednesday.

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Unbeaten in 10 games, the Gaurs are currently placed fifth with 24 points. The side can dislodge Hyderabad FC from the third position if it beats Odisha by three goals or more.

Goa secured a 1-0 win over Odisha earlier in the season and has won all the three previous encounters against the Bhubaneswar-based club.

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While Odisha has endured a dismal campaign and is at the bottom of the table, FC Goa coach Juan Ferrando is certain on not taking things easy.

"Maybe you can imagine it as being easy but it's not so easy because now Odisha's players don't have a lot of stress on the pitch. They played better in the last games. Of course, it's a difficult game. They will also be thinking about the future, to fight on the pitch and give some good performances because maybe in the future they will get some good offers," he said on the match-eve.

The side will also miss the services of captain Edu Bedia, who has been suspended for picking up his fourth yellow card of the season. Furthermore, Bedia has been show-caused by the All India Football Federation's Disciplinary Committee for his alleged bite on Deepak Tangri in the game against Chennaiyin FC last week.

Odisha is currently playing for pride. The Kalinga Warriors have only won one match this season and are currently on an eight-match winless run. 

Talking ahead of the game, Odisha interim head coach Gerald Peyton said, “I’m going to stay with the facts. In the second half against NorthEast [in their last game, a 3-1 defeat], we had a high percentage of passing, higher than them. We also had 81% accuracy of pass.

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“FC Goa are a good passing team. I know their tactics; I know how they will play against us. Without giving any tactics away, we will play a certain way. This season we have a tendency to start getting our game together only after the first 15 minutes, so it is important that we start straight from the off [against FC Goa].”