New Delhi, 25 December 2023: Punjab FC will look to ride on the highs of their maiden Indian Super League (ISL) victory last week as they prepare to host Odisha FC on December 26, Tuesday, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi to commence the 12th matchweek of the season. After a 10-match-long barren run seeking their inaugural win, the ISL debutants fuelled the fire with a Madih Talal inspired winner to secure the victory against Chennaiyin FC last week.

To go into the season break with two wins in two games will be incredible for the team, and they will be hoping to get the desired outcome considering that the Juggernauts come into this match after a rather unexpected goalless draw against East Bengal FC. It has been a middling campaign for Punjab FC so far. Starting off afresh in the top-tier was never going to be easy, but five draws in 11 games suggest that they have matched their more fancied oppositions many times over the last few months.

Their defensive solidity, coupled with Talal’s sharp creativity and goal-scoring instinct propelled their success against the Marina Machans, and Punjab FC will be eager to hold tight to those strengths against Sergio Lobera’s men.

Odisha FC are fifth in the table and a draw against the Red & Gold Brigade must have raised some questions within the camp given that they would have backed themselves to take three points from that fixture. Dropping points just deepens them in the mid-table muddle and the Juggernauts should aim to get above these setbacks and contend for the top spot in the second half of the campaign. The last match should be taken as an aberration for Odisha FC, who managed to shoot on target only once in the Salt Lake Stadium.

What’s at stake?

Punjab FC

Punjab FC will be gearing up nicely for their first-ever ISL encounter against Odisha FC, but a deterring record must be troubling them, which is the fact that they haven’t won in their maiden encounter against any team this season. Even their victory against Chennaiyin FC came during their second faceoff against the Owen Coyle-coached team. It is likely that they might be better off taking learning from each opposition, given that every side might be an unknown commodity for them at the moment. They can arguably work on stitching together more sustainable attacking patterns in the final third, though.

Punjab FC have taken 47% of their shots from outside of the box in this campaign, which is the highest amongst all teams. Though it speaks highly of the individual brilliance and confidence amongst their players, a team naturally enhances their goal-scoring chances when they start testing the opposition’s goalkeeper from nearer or inside the box. Talal’s winner in the previous game testified that, as he blazed into the box and fired one past Debjit Majumder on the near post to get his side the three points. Will this be an insight that Punjab FC intends to work upon in this match? Let’s wait and watch.

Odisha FC

Odisha FC have kept four clean sheets in their last five games, including a couple in the last two games on a bounce. Never before in the ISL have the Juggernauts not conceded a goal in three consecutive matches. However, a disciplined defensive unit is the base or the foundation upon which the success of any Lobera-coached side is built. The centre-back duo of Mourtada Fall and Carlos Delgado has been at the top of the game throughout, with the former chipping in with crucial goals, helping them maximise set-piece situations from time to time.

The midfield has blended creativity with a sense of solidity that ensures that both the objectives are fulfilled, whereas the frontline headed by the experienced duo of Roy Krishna and Diego Mauricio instil significant confidence amongst the players. To cap it all off, they have a seasoned goalkeeper in Amrinder Singh, who has become the custodian to keep the most clean sheets (42) in ISL history. Despite the strength of their offensive unit, Odisha FC did not really fire from all cylinders in the match against East Bengal FC. Such minor slip ups can be costly for their overall ambitions for the season, and hence Lobera should be looking to get his men back on track from the forthcoming fixture onwards.

Key Players

Madih Talal (Punjab FC)

It’s difficult to look beyond the 26-year-old French attacking midfielder after he single-handedly pioneered Punjab FC to victory in the previous match. Madih Talal was the star of the show against Chennaiyin FC, and he will have to be the star of many such shows moving forward for his team to see similar successes in the second half of the season. In 11 appearances, Talal has one goal and two assists to his name. He has created 19 goal-scoring opportunities, taking 23 shots, and earning a total of 34 fouls so far.

His interlinking with Luka Majcen and Juan Mera can induce incredible creativity and sharpness in Punjab FC’s offensive endeavours. More than anything, Talal is gifted enough to take on the opposition and produce a magical moment in an individual capacity against the flow of events. Such unpredictability is often helpful, provided Punjab FC can still hope by resting on his shoulders even if they are pegged back by Odisha FC in certain phases of the upcoming game.

Amrinder Singh (Odisha FC)

Amrinder Singh has arguably rediscovered his best form under Lobera – the manager under whom he captained Mumbai City FC to the historic domestic league double in ISL 2020-21. His reflexes have been sharp, and his distribution has been accurate, allowing Odisha FC to build attacking moves in different ways. He has the ability to launch a long ball to target forwards like Krishna and Mauricio upfront, ensuring that the Juggernauts can take a more direct route to the goal whenever required too. One of Punjab FC’s biggest strengths is to test the opposition from distance, and Amrinder is well adept at thwarting them, having made 11 saves against shots from outside the box in the current ISL season, the most by any goalkeeper to have maintained a 100% save rate against such shots in 2023-24.

Head-to-Head

This is the first fixture in the ISL between the two sides.

Trivia: Odisha FC midfielder Ahmed Jahouh has made the most successful long passes (104) by any player in ISL 2023-24.

Team Talk

“We are completely focused on today. About the game, I think they (Punjab FC) are playing well; they are trying to play good football. I like the team very much. Obviously, it’s their first season and the competition in the ISL is very difficult. But they have shown progress and the last win must have given them motivation for this game,” Odisha FC head coach Sergio Lobera said in the pre-match press conference.

“We are very happy that we won our first match in the ISL. But, we have made many mistakes in the past when we played well, were winning, but could not register the win. So, we should be more conscious about our upcoming matches, and also plan accordingly to give a good performance tomorrow,” Punjab FC assistant coach Sankarlal Chakraborty said prior to the game.

ISL Fantasy

Juan Mera (7.8cr)

One goal and two assists in ISL 2023-24

Madih Talal (5.5cr)

Scored the winner against Chennaiyin FC

Amrinder Singh (4.2cr)

Five clean sheets in 10 appearances this season

If not registered already, fans can participate in the overall league or club-based leagues based on their preferences. Create private leagues, inviting friends and fellow football aficionados to compete. Prizes include a Sony PlayStation ®️ ️5 gaming console, EA Sports FC 24, signed club merchandise, and a Gift Card worth INR 20,000, which will be awarded to 100 winners at the end of the season. Sign up at: https://fantasy.indiansuperleague.com/

Where to Watch

Fans across the country can catch the action in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam. Fans can watch the action on linear channels like Sports18 Khel (Hindi), Sports18 1 SD & HD (English), Sports18 3 SD (English, Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali), VH1 SD & HD (English), Surya Movies (Malayalam) & DD Bangla (Bengali). In addition to this, as part of FSDL’s partnership with OneFootball, ISL live streams and highlights of all matches of the upcoming 2023-24 season will be delivered across more than 190 countries.

Points Table

The Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 matchweek 12 commences on Boxing Day, Tuesday, post-Christmas celebrations. As the competition heads to take a break at the halfway stage, Odisha FC will play twice in the coming set of matches, whereas teams from across the table square off against each other to move forward in their quest of realising their objectives for the campaign.

Punjab FC and Jamshedpur FC will hope to build on their confidence and momentum from their much-needed victories last week, whereas the duo of Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Mumbai City FC will look to bounce back from their recent setbacks. FC Goa will round off the first-half of the ISL 2023-24 season in Guwahati against NorthEast United FC, as the Highlanders hope to break free from their six-match winless run. Here are certain key themes to look forward to in the coming week of the campaign.

Marquee clash in Kolkata

Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) is in a difficult spot at the moment, having lost their last two games against Mumbai City FC and FC Goa. These matches were opportunities for them to bridge the gaps at the top of the standings, but the Mariners were unable to do so, arguably compelling head coach Juan Ferrando to go back to the drawing board.

On December 27, they await the arrival of the high-flying Kerala Blasters FC, who beat the Islanders 2-0 in Kochi on Sunday. Ivan Vukomanovic and his side are a different threat at home though, and the Mariners will be riding on the support of their own fan base as these two star-studded teams clash promising fierce fireworks and some top-class footballing action in matchweek 12.

Odisha FC can’t afford dropping points

Sergio Lobera & Co. hit a roadblock in Kolkata when they played a goalless draw against East Bengal FC. The Juggernauts could hit only a shot on target during the game as they succumbed to their third draw of the season, taking their tally of dropped points to 12 after 10 games.

Lobera will be hopeful of warding off these concerns at the home of Punjab FC on Tuesday, before they host Jamshedpur FC on December 29. There is undoubted quality and experience stuffed in this Odisha FC unit and that has reflected in their successes in the AFC Cup too. However, they need to brush aside these temporary phases of inconsistency that can take a big toll in their eventual outcome of the campaign.

Mumbai City FC, Chennaiyin FC seek turnarounds

Chennaiyin FC were nicely garnering some positive momentum before they were hit with a defeat against Punjab FC in New Delhi. However, Owen Coyle has had enough time to make corrections to that as the Marina Machans prepare to take on Mumbai City FC away from home on December 28. Chennaiyin FC have found their goal-scoring boots, thanks to a gifted frontline as they have struck the back of the net 15 times in 11 games.

Regardless of the purported gap in the quality of their squad and the Islanders, Coyle is capable of making his team take the game to the Islanders. Mumbai City FC heads into this match after a disappointing 2-0 defeat to the Kerala Blasters FC, which brought curtains down to their unbeaten start to the season. With two goalless draws and a defeat in the four matches since Petr Kratky took over, Mumbai City FC will be keen to find answers to their woes before the league break.

FC Goa looks to sign off the year in style

With Mumbai City FC’s loss in Kochi, FC Goa is the only team who is yet to face a defeat this season. With seven victories and two draws, their 23 points equals Bengaluru FC’s record from 2018-19 for the best start for any team in an ISL season after nine matches. The Gaurs now have a chance to go into the January break with a clean slate if they avoid a defeat in Guwahati against NorthEast United FC.

Manolo Marquez and his men have been relentless thus far, sweeping past even the best of opponents in sublime style. Their 4-1 victory against the Mohun Bagan Super Giant was the biggest loss that the Mariners have faced at home in ISL history, and the Gaurs look set to break many such records if they are able to continue this rich vein of form for the rest of the campaign.

Team of the Week

Goalkeeper: Amrinder Singh (Odisha FC)

Defenders: Nishu Kumar (East Bengal FC), Suresh Meitei (Punjab FC), Marko Leskovic (Kerala Blasters FC), Jessel Carneiro (Bengaluru FC)

Midfielders: Amarjit Singh Kiyam (Punjab FC), Suresh Singh Wangjam (Bengaluru FC), Madih Talal (Punjab FC)

Forwards: Noah Sadaoui (FC Goa), Dimitrios Diamantakos (Kerala Blasters FC), Daniel Chima Chukwu (Jamshedpur FC)

ISL Fantasy Data

Points- 77

Average points: 40

Top 5 point scorers:

Daniel Chima Chukwu- 14 points

Bipin Singh- 11 points

Noah Sadaoui- 11 points

Dimitrios Diamantakos – 9 points

Kwame Peprah – 9 points

Ones to watch:

Kwame Peprah

Amey Ranawade

Sandesh Jhingan

Bipin Singh

If not registered already, fans can participate in the overall league or club-based leagues based on their preferences. Create private leagues, inviting friends and fellow football aficionados to compete. Prizes include a Sony PlayStation®️5 gaming console, EA Sports FC 24, signed club merchandise, and a Gift Card worth INR 20,000, will be awarded to 100 winners at the end of the season. Sign up at:  https://fantasy.indiansuperleague.com/

Where to catch the ISL action

Fans across the country can catch the action in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam. Fans can watch the action on linear channels like Sports18 Khel (Hindi), Sports18 1 SD & HD (English), Sports18 3 SD (English, Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali), VH1 SD & HD (English), Surya Movies (Malayalam) & DD Bangla (Bengali). In addition to this, as part of FSDL’s partnership with OneFootball, ISL live streams and highlights of all matches of the upcoming 2023-24 season will be delivered across more than 190 countries.

 

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Bengaluru, December 24: Bengaluru FC bounced back with a late equaliser by the 22-year-old Sivasakthi Narayanan to settle for a point after a 1-1 draw against NorthEast United at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 to start off the Sunday double header.

The two teams, seeking much-needed momentum, commenced the proceedings on Christmas Eve as the City of Gardens decked up beautifully to celebrate the festive season. However, celebrations didn’t come easy for the Blues early in the match, who faltered in their numerous attempts to draw the first blood in this encounter.

Javi Hernandez and Ryan Williams, who replaced Slavko Damjanovic in the starting XI, came together to keep the NorthEast United FC defence on their toes. Williams was finding it easy to get into the wider areas of the 18-yard box, delivering quick, short passes for the onrushing Hernandez and Sunil Chhetri in the middle. However, neither Hernandez nor Chhetri were successful in shooting on target, as they missed rather golden opportunities to get a lead with their respective efforts in the 17th and the 47th minutes with the ball sailing above the posts.

For a long stretch of the proceedings, it appeared that a drab, goalless draw was on the cards. NorthEast United FC did not make many chances, but one particular long-distance shot from Jithin M.S. in the 56th minute required a fully stretched Gurpreet Singh Sandhu to palm the ball away. Steadily, they capitalised on a Bengaluru FC backline that was arguably dropping their guard, as the fleet footed Parthib Gogoi earned a spot-kick for the Highlanders in the 86th minute.

Up stepped Nestor Albiach to take the penalty, as he shot it with such firm power and precision that Sandhu couldn’t help his team’s cause this time around. However, what that goal did was it reinvigorated the spirits of the home side, who perhaps realised the repercussions that could have come with another home defeat. They pressed all their buttons, attacking the box from lateral areas, and a curling, accurate cross by Jessel Carneiro from the left flank was met perfectly and nodded home by substitute Sivasakthi to salvage a point for the Gerard Zaragoza-coached side.

Key Performer of the Match

Jessel Carneiro (Bengaluru FC)

Jessel made a whopping 57 passes, completing 45 of them in this game. He made two clearances and interceptions each, in addition to tackling once, and creating a couple of goal-scoring opportunities to deliver an all-round effort. His assist for Sivasakthi’s goal was both timely and skilful, and the former Kerala Blasters FC star will be hoping to build on this performance going ahead in the season.

What’s next for both teams?

NorthEast United FC will host FC Goa on December 29 for their next fixture, whereas Bengaluru FC have capped off their first-half of the campaign with this match.

Brief Scores

Bengaluru FC 1 (Sivasakthi Narayanan 90+5’) – 1 NorthEast United FC (Nestor Albiach 86’)

Kolkata, 23 December 2023: Mohun Bagan Super Giant succumbed to their second straight defeat as FC Goa sealed a comfortable 4-1 victory over them at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 tonight. The Gaurs stepped foot into the City of Joy and put forth a joyous performance orchestrated by their creative attacking duo of Noah Sadaoui and Victor Rodriguez to inflict the biggest loss at home for the Mariners in the ISL.

This was only the second game when the Mohun Bagan Super Giant conceded four goals or more in an ISL fixture ever. Noah kicked start the processions by converting a spot-kick that the Gaurs earned due to a handball by Manvir Singh inside the 18-yard box. Goalkeeper Vishal Kaith guessed the direction of the kick by Noah perfectly, but the sheer power drilled into the shot by the Moroccan ensured that Manolo Marquez’s men got an early lead in the contest.

The 30-year-old was a menace for the Mohun Bagan Super Giant defensive unit throughout the game though, as he seamlessly switched between flanks to cut into their backline and take shots at Kaith. In fact, the home side’s backline wore an uncharacteristically unarranged look in this game. Brandon Fernandes & Co. were able to break apart them with simple, straightforward through balls, and that resulted in this heavy loss that can likely send tremors down the Kolkata-based club.

Spanish midfielder Rodriguez doubled the lead in the 42nd minute, thanks to a quick one-two that he played with Carl McHugh at the edge of the box. Rodriguez received a curling ball from the right flank, and he teed off a quick pass to McHugh who returned the favour immediately. He collected the ball with sheer finesse, before launching a powerful shot resulting in the ball hitting the back of the net.

An interesting passage of play followed, which had Noah bringing up his brace, thanks to an assist by Brandon, that made the FC Goa star the third highest assist maker in the ISL. With 22 assists, Brandon is only behind Hugo Boumous (32) and Roy Krishna (23) in the all-time list. Here, he pierced the Mohun Bagan Super Giant defence with a short pass and the move was put to bed by Sadaoui. Dimitrios Petratos produced a breath-taking free-kick late in the added time of the first half to cut the deficit, also breaking FC Goa’s five-match-long streak of keeping clean sheets.

However, that incredible goal couldn’t inspire a fitting comeback, with FC Goa maintaining total stronghold over the game in the second half. Noah came close to getting a hat-trick, but a vigilant Mariners’ defence kept him at bay. Even an overhead kick couldn’t get him to his third strike of the night. Finally, Carlos Martinez capped off the game by scoring his second goal of the season by converting a late spot-kick in the 91st minute of the game.

Key Performer of the Match

Noah Sadaoui (FC Goa)

Noah delivered an impressive performance oozing all class, as he ran circles around the opposition with his footwork, trickery, and ability to get past the opponents from close places. He netted twice, created a goal-scoring opportunity, and completed 82% of his 34 passes to round off a laudable outing.

What’s next for both teams?

FC Goa will now travel to Guwahati to face NorthEast United FC on December 29, whereas Mohun Bagan Super Giant will next host Kerala Blasters FC on December 26.

Brief Scores

FC Goa 4 (Noah Sadaoui 10’, 45+3’, Victor Rodriguez 42’, Carlos Martinez 90+1’) – 1 Mohun Bagan Super Giant (Dimitrios Petrators 45+7’)

Stat Pack:

Bengaluru, 23 December 2023: Bengaluru FC will host a struggling NorthEast United FC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in a bid to get their second successive win under new head coach Gerard Zaragoza. The Blues started their new era under Zaragoza with a 1-0 victory against Jamshedpur FC, thanks to a penalty by Javi Hernandez. They now have a chance to gradually reinforce that result at their bastion against the Highlanders, who are on a five-game winless run at the moment with their last victory coming back in October against the Red Miners.

The Blues have a lot of corrections to make as to how they began this season. On the back of impressive outings in the previous campaign, which included making it to the finals of three competitions, Bengaluru FC must have set high standards for what they would have wanted to achieve this year.

Zaragoza has had ample time to get acquainted with the squad and to make an assessment of whether he has the appropriate profile of players at his disposal to make a change. Being a part of the club as an assistant coach in their title-winning 2018-19 season, he is well aware of the functioning of the outfit, and that familiarity should hold him in good stead in  securing positive results straight away.

For the Highlanders, what started off as a promising season is quickly unfurling in a way that they would not have wanted. They are now in a long-drawn quest for a win and would hope to close out the year with the same, especially given the topsy-turvy ride they have endured at the start of this campaign. There are suggestions that they maximised their potential in the opening run of matches and head coach Juan Pedro Benali would be eager to prove the detractors wrong in this away fixture.

What’s at stake?

Bengaluru FC

For Bengaluru FC, it is all about regaining momentum at the moment. They must be steadily adjusting to the plans laid out by Zaragoza, but simultaneously they do hold a dominating record over the Highlanders. The Blues have never lost at home against NorthEast United FC, winning four games and drawing once in their five encounters at the Kanteerava. They won their most recent such fixture by 1-0, whereas the two sides played out a 1-1 draw when they locked horns in Guwahati earlier this season.

Bengaluru FC must be slightly concerned that it took them a spot-kick to get past Jamshedpur FC at home in the previous game. The three points would have come in as a much-needed breather, but the tactician at helm now will know that a lot needs to be done to get this side back to where they want to be. All bases need to be covered with every department of the playing XI ticking the boxes consistently for them to really get a desirable result in the forthcoming fixture.

NorthEast United FC

The Highlanders embarked on this campaign on a positive note, having secured a final four finish in the Durand Cup prior to the ISL. These were baby steps for NorthEast United FC – a team that had won only once in their 20 league matches last season. Benali has got them better results, undoubtedly, but now it is time to overcome this challenging phase so that they do not succumb into a free fall with no point of return. To be fair, they are not the best of the travellers in the ISL.

NorthEast United FC has lost 35 away matches (home of the opposition) in the league, which is the highest amongst all teams. In fact, they are on a massive 21-game winless streak in away encounters at the moment, which opens a window of opportunity for Benali to set an unfortunate record straight and resurrect the campaign for his young and promising squad. They have come across Bengaluru FC, who are in a spot of bother themselves at this moment. If NorthEast United FC pounce upon the weaknesses of the home side and optimise their strengths, then a good result is there for the taking here.

Key Players

Halicharan Narzary (Bengaluru FC)

The winger arrived at Bengaluru FC amidst high expectations after a successful stint with Hyderabad FC. The departure of Udanta Singh from Bengaluru FC demanded another proven Indian attacker to replace him, and the Blues seemed to have hit the jackpot with Narzary. However, with just one assist and no goals across 464 minutes in seven games, things do not appear to be too rosy for the player in question.

He has not been helped by playing in an inconsistent system, with three different men in Grayson, Renedy Singh, and Zaragoza having been in charge of Bengaluru FC in the ISL 2023-24 so far. Yet, Narzary will be eager to find his mojo back, ripping apart defensive units with his tearaway pace and then delivering decisive passes that make an impact in the proceedings in the final third. Can Zaragoza bring out the best from the seasoned campaigner?

Konsam Phalguni Singh (NorthEast United FC)

Konsam Phalguni Singh scored an absolute outside-of-the-box stunner to hand NorthEast United FC an early lead before they squandered that opportunity in their previous match against the Mohun Bagan Super Giant. Phalguni Singh has been one of the busier presences in the Highlanders’ frontline this season, scoring twice across 10 games and creating 13 goal-scoring opportunities with a 78% passing accuracy as well.

He has earned a foul on average per game and also recorded five blocks and six interceptions to put in a diligent defensive shift as well. Phalguni, 28, has shown that he has a powerful shot up his sleeves and his ability to unleash that from distance at any given point in the game should keep Gurpreet Singh Sandhu on his toes.

Head-to-Head

Played – 15

Bengaluru FC – 8

NorthEast United FC – 2

Draws – 5

Trivia: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu has recorded a total of 34 saves in ISL 2023-24, the highest for any goalkeeper in the competition.

Team Talk

“It’s always a challenge when you change the coach. My expectation is to go day by day and week by week, and we continue like this. We won the first match and we were happy. We had a very nice week working together, and now it’s time tomorrow again to do the positive bits that we did in the last match,” Bengaluru FC head coach Gerard Zaragoza explained in the pre-match press conference.

 

“It’s a totally different team, coach, players, and approach. It’s going to be a difficult game. But, we know our job; we play our way, always to get the best result possible. I cannot comment on his (Zaragoza’s) style of play, it’s only been one game. But, we see there are some slight changes in the teams, in players, the approach is totally different. There are new ideas and fresh air, which is why it won’t be easy,” NorthEast United FC head coach Juan Pedro Benali said.

ISL Fantasy

Sunil Chhetri (7.7cr)

Five goal contributions in ISL 2023-24

Javi Hernandez (10.2cr)

Two goals in the current ISL campaign

Phalguni Singh (5cr)

Scored from a wonderful strike in the previous match

Where to Watch

Fans across the country can catch the action in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam. Fans can watch the action on linear channels like Sports18 Khel (Hindi), Sports18 1 SD & HD (English), Sports18 3 SD (English, Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali), VH1 SD & HD (English), Surya Movies (Malayalam) & DD Bangla (Bengali). In addition to this, as part of FSDL’s partnership with OneFootball, ISL live streams and highlights of all matches of the upcoming 2023-24 season will be delivered across more than 190 countries.Points Table

Kochi, 23 December 2023: Mumbai City FC travels to Kochi to square off against Kerala Blasters FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in a clash that can have wide repercussions in the top-of-the-table dynamics of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 on December 24, Sunday.

The Islanders recovered from consecutive goalless draws to secure their maiden victory under Petr Kratky in a dramatic encounter against the Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG). The outcome of the 2-1 victory was such that Mumbai will be missing four of their key players, namely: Akash Mishra, Greg Strewart, Vikram Partap Singh, and Rahul Bheke, due to suspensions in this match.

Kratky wore a positive look even after the previous game though, praising the indomitable spirit of his players and saying that the coming game gives him a unique opportunity to test his bench strength. In all likelihood, they cannot afford to take Kerala Blasters FC lightly, particularly when they play in front of Manjappada.

The Kochi-based outfit lost by 2-1 to Mumbai City FC in the reverse fixture at the City of Dreams after Danish Farooq had gotten them an important equaliser in the second half. They will be eager to go one step ahead and inflict a loss upon the Islanders, who desperately want to be near the top-placed spots in the standings.

To their credit, the Islanders are unbeaten in the season so far. However, that does not mean that there aren’t holes to be filled in that setup. The impeccable quality in their squad will face a stern test in the backyard of the Blasters, who are unbeaten in their last six home matches – winning four games and drawing twice.

What’s at stake?

Kerala Blasters FC

Kerala Blasters FC will return home after two matches, which included a 1-0 loss in Goa followed by a 1-0 victory against Punjab FC in New Delhi. They have definitely been hit by the absence of skipper Adrian Luna, and it needed a spot-kick by Dimitrios Diamantakos for them to emerge victorious against the ISL debutants. Their creative outputs will surely suffer with the Uruguayan sidelined, but KBFC need to ensure that the rest of weapons in their armoury fire together to stop a terrific Mumbai City FC unit.

In fact, Mumbai City FC have had a good record playing in Kochi over the previous seasons of the ISL. The sole and last victory for the Kerala Blasters FC against Mumbai City FC in Kochi in the ISL came way back on October 14, 2016, in the third season of the league. However, KBFC have also scored in 20 out of their last 22 home games against all opponents, and have adopted an approach where they are unafraid to take the game to them this season. Which is why, they have forced 8.2 high turnovers (winning the ball back within 40 metres of the opposition’s goal) per game in ISL 2023-24, something that’s a clear warning sign for Rostyn Griffiths and his fellow defenders in the Mumbai City FC ranks.

Mumbai City FC

In all fairness, Petr Kratky has started off his stint in the ISL in quite some fashion. After two listless, goalless draws, the clash against the Mohun Bagan Super Giant had everything that one would expect from two teams at the top of their game. The Islanders sneaked past the Mariners with a 2-1 win, but Kratky now has to deal with the aforementioned suspensions and rejig his squad for this crucial away fixture. Challenges are coming thick and fast his way, that too in different forms, with the new tactician being forced to relook his plans early on in his run in this country.

He can draw belief from the fact that the Islanders are promising on the road, having won thrice and drawn twice in their last five away encounters. In fact, they have found the back of the net at least twice in four of those matches. The fact that they have been able to weather the challenges that come for an opposition team in Kochi should hold them in good stead for this fixture too. Kratky will do well to ensure that his playing style and philosophy is not tweaked extensively in the wake of the many absentees that they have for this game, with nothing less than a point being satisfactory for them at this stage of the campaign.

Key Players

Naocha Singh (Kerala Blasters FC)

Naocha Singh has played seven league games this season, recording eight interceptions, 13 clearances, and 24 tackles, to emerge as one of the most tenacious players in their backline despite the presence of a seasoned campaigner like Pritam Kotal. He is averaging 3.4 tackles per game in the current season, the highest such aggregate of any player in the competition so far.

In fact, he has won 18 of his 24 attempted tackles, and will be handful for the Mumbai City FC forwards like Jorge Pereyra Diaz, Bipin Singh, Lallianzuala Chhangte, amongst others to deal with on Sunday. Naocha has also been incredibly involved in building up play, averaging 41 passes in every match, with an accuracy of 68% on that front. His performance against a skilful and efficient Islanders’ frontline will be interesting to watch out for.

Bipin Singh (Mumbai City FC)

The livewire winger made an instant impact in the last game, setting up a goal for Greg Stewart, before scoring the winner in the second-half. Bipin has been one of the terrifically consistent performers for Mumbai City FC over the years. With 22 goals and 11 assists in his ISL career, the winger has emerged as one of the most prominent domestic stars lately.

In fact, he is one win away from becoming the fifth player to reach 50 wins with a single club in ISL history, in fact, Bipin (94 games for Mumbai City FC) can become the fastest player to reach the milestone if he earns his next win within his next six appearances for the Islanders, breaking Udanta Singh’s record (50th win in 101st game for Bengaluru FC). In Stewart’s absence, he will be hopeful of putting in an impressive outing in one of the most challenging away grounds in the competition.

Head-to-Head

Played – 19

Kerala Blasters FC – 4

Mumbai City FC – 9

Draws – 6

Trivia: With 58.9 passes per match, Mehtab Singh from Mumbai City FC has the most passes per game played for any Indian player in ISL 2023-24.

Team Talk

“I expect a good game against a good opponent. We like to compete and play these kinds of games, especially the players, they like these kinds of moments. Of course, as a sportsman, you expect a good game to see good things on the field. Players especially enjoy it because it’s Christmas Eve,” Kerala Blasters FC head coach Ivan Vukomanovic mentioned in the pre-match press conference, adding that he is expecting his players to be highly motivated for this game.

“The result was fantastic, very important three points at home against a very tough opponent (Mohun Bagan Super Giant). It’s a boost for the group and we just need to keep going and connect that with our results in the next couple of games. I am very happy with the squad we have. The people who are coming in have a very good opportunity, and I am looking forward to seeing them play,” Mumbai City FC head coach Petr Kratky said.

ISL Fantasy

Sachin Suresh (4.1cr)

Has helped Kerala Blasters FC keep three clean sheets this season

Dimitrios Diamantakos (8.3cr)

Averaging a goal every 116.8 minutes in ISL 2023-24

Jorge Pereyra Diaz (8.8cr)

Six goals in the current campaign of the competition

Where to Watch

Fans across the country can catch the action in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam. Fans can watch the action on linear channels like Sports18 Khel (Hindi), Sports18 1 SD & HD (English), Sports18 3 SD (English, Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali), VH1 SD & HD (English), Surya Movies (Malayalam) & DD Bangla (Bengali). In addition to this, as part of FSDL’s partnership with OneFootball, ISL live streams and highlights of all matches of the upcoming 2023-24 season will be delivered across more than 190 countries.

Kolkata, 12 December 2023: East Bengal FC kept a fourth consecutive clean sheet as they played a goalless draw against Odisha FC at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 tonight. The Juggernauts held two-third of the possession, 67% to be precise, but fell short of giving shape to proper goal-scoring opportunities, as their eight shots were beaten by the 13 taken by the home side. East Bengal FC even hit three of them on target, as compared to the only one by Odisha FC.

For the visitors, the opportunity to get ahead in the game came early, in the ninth minute itself. Lalthathanga Khawlhring, fondly called as Puitea, spotted a disarranged East Bengal FC and played a pass for Isak Vanlalruatfela at the centre outside the 18-yard box. The 22-year-old fast burst through the home side’s defensive unit, but his shot failed to find the back of the net, though it did have the potential to set the tone for the rest of the game for the Juggernauts.

That was not to be though, as East Bengal FC and their skilful wingers and midfielders came to the fore gradually. Nandhakumar Sekar initiated one such move in the 27th minute, wide from the right flank. The winger, who had scored twice in this ground against NorthEast United FC earlier this month, broke inside the box as an onrushing Cleiton Silva awaited his delivery in the middle. However, Nandha took matters in his own hands, taking on the trio of Ahmed Jahouh, Carlos Delgado, and Mourtada Fall, before unleashing a powerful shot that was duly saved by Amrinder Singh.

The Odisha FC custodian was called up to action again in the 48th minute, with the duo of Borja Herrera and Jose Antonio Pardo coming together to enable the latter to test the goalkeeper from distance. Amrinder held his ground and thwarted the chance, thus sustaining chances for his team to sneak back into the proceedings. Cleiton Silva and his ambitious header from the edge of the box in the 82nd minute could have capitalised on Amrinder’s efforts. Naorem Mahesh Singh chipped in a perfectly weighted cross for the Brazilian, to help him find his sixth strike of the season. Unfortunately, Silva couldn’t direct the ball on target, of what could otherwise have been one of the contenders for the goal of the season.

Nevertheless, both these teams continue to be embroiled in the middle of the table right after this result, with Odisha FC in the fifth spot and East Bengal FC in the seventh place.

Key Performer of the Match

Hijazi Maher (East Bengal FC)

The 26-year-old defender was a lively presence at the back for the home side, playing 28 passes and completing 23 of them. He made seven clearances, made an interception, but also created two goal-scoring opportunities to round off a neat and convincing performance from the heart of the defensive unit.

What’s next for both teams?

Odisha FC will next square off against Punjab FC on December 26, whereas East Bengal FC have rounded off their first-half of the ISL 2023-24 campaign with this fixture. The result of the schedule will be announced in due time.

Brief Scores

East Bengal FC 0 – 0 Odisha FC 

Stat Pack: