After securing their first win of the season, FC Goa are raring to maintain the momentum as they face familiar foes- Bengaluru FC in their next game. The Blues on the other hand sit a place above their counterparts in the points table, and will aim to replicate the heroics from their 2018-19 title winning season.
Crucial three points are up for grabs in this exuberant encounter, as both the teams will go all in to seal this much needed win to add more points into their kitty.
Team News –
Brandon Fernandes remains out of the fray for FC Goa citing to the injury which ruled him out since the SAFF Cup. Spanish forward Airam Cabrera and winger Redeem Tlang were dropped from the teamsheet, putting a question mark on their availability for the next game. Although Redeem has resumed training, the picture is still quite unclear whether or not he’ll feature in the starting eleven.
From the Bengaluru camp, Leon Augustine has been out of the teamsheet alongside Sarthak Golui, Iman Basafa and Prince Ibara because of injuries in the prior games.
Three Indian Players to Watch out for –
Jayesh Rane
Arguably the best incoming transfer for the Blues, Jayesh Rane has proved his mettle at Bengaluru FC. The talented player has been bossing around in the midfield providing articulate passes to the attacking third.
Sunil Chhetri
Captain Fantastic hasn’t been at his best, and just when the fans think so, Sunil Chhetri often rises to the occasion and proves otherwise. We can expect the talismanic striker to chip in a few goals in the coming games.
Dheeraj Singh
The wall of Goa, Dheeraj Singh Moiranghthem is yet to maintain a clean sheet this season. It’d be a riveting game to watch out for his heroics between the sticks as Dheeraj faces a rather strong BFC attack.
Three Foreign Players to Watch out for –
Alberto Noguera
The most instrumental cog in the midfield, Noguera has been an unsung hero for the Gaurs. The 32 year old midfielder seems to be in red hot form after being reckoned as the man of the match in his last outing. He has also knitted an average of around 55 key passes per game which is one of the highest in the league.
Cleiton Silva
One of the most skillful forwards in the Bengaluru FC setup, the Brazilian finds his name as the sole survivor from the previous season’s foreign contingent. Silva is well known for his acrobatic capabilities, and we can never rule him out especially when the opposition defense has been struggling in the past few games.
Jorge Ortiz
The Spanish attacker has four goal contributions to his name in this season so far. He has netted a single goal that too from the penalty spot, in four games which is a bit uncharacteristic for a player of his caliber. Jorge Ortiz will definitely look forward to bettering this figure and find his form to extend his goalscoring exploits.
Predicted XI
FC Goa
Bengaluru FC
Head to head record –
The two sides have faced each other 9 times in the Indian Super league. Bengaluru FC have an upper hand having won 5 games whereas FC Goa will strive to make it 3 in the next outing.
Predictions –
With both the teams struggling to find their winning mantra in the first few games, this battle seems to be very well poised for an exciting clash. The result can go either way, and will be very instrumental to decide the fate of the two ISL giants.
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