Hyderabad FC takes on Odisha FC tonight at the GMC Athletic Stadium from 7:30 PM.
Hyderabad FC is currently sitting in 4th place on the table while their opponents Odisha FC are placed 7th in the table. Hyderabad FC played out a 1-1 draw against SC East Bengal in their last game while Odisha FC had a similar story as their game ended in a 2-2 draw against FC Goa. Hence it promises to be an exciting match as both teams will look to capitalize on the points dropped in their last game. Let’s take a look at the match preview.
Team News
Hyderabad FC will miss the services of Halicharan Narzary, Asish Rai, and Mohammad Yasir who are unavailable due to injuries.
Odisha FC is fortunate with team selection and does not have any major injuries to report.
Three Indian players to watch out for
Chinglensana Singh
The Hyderabad FC and Indian National Team center back have been a pillar in front of the opposition teams so far. He is not just an important player in the team’s defense but also in Hyderabad FC’s build-up brand of football. No wonder why he has a 75.22% passing accuracy along with 36.33 average passes per game. His defensive solidarity is even better with 23 clearances and 10 interceptions as he has nullified most of the opposition’s goal threats. With his tall stature and physical advantage he is a wall in the Nizam’s defense and stops everything that comes in his way.
Jerry Mawihmingthanga
The 24-year-old midfielder has been in exceptional form for the Juggernauts last season and has become a regular starter since then. Kiko Ramirez has put his trust in the midfielder to lead the attack. He played a key role in Odisha’s first two wins this season. It will be a tough task for the Hyderabad FC defenders to stop his pinpoint crosses. He has a passing accuracy rate of 74.56%, making him a crucial player for the Juggernauts in their build-up play and attack.
Akash Mishra
A regular for his national team, Hyderabad FC’s left full-back Akash Mishra is a player who has been a centerpiece of all the attacks that are created from the left side of the pitch. His visionary crosses, through balls, and dribbling skills are troublesome for opposition team players. While he is a modern wing-back and goes forward every time the team is attacking, he is equally good at tracking back when the opponents go on the counter. He is an important player for the Nizams and taking him lightly might be a costly mistake that the opposition team won’t want to make.
Three Foreign players to watch out for
Aridai Cabrera
The 33-year-old Spaniard, who joined Odisha FC this season, has scored three goals already. Along with Jonathas, Aridai is proving to become a significant player who can solve the Juggernaut’s attacking woes, which troubled them last season. With a goal conversion rate of 17%, the former Real Mallorca player has a good eye for goal. He is also a vital playmaker having created 15 goalscoring chances from crosses.
Bartholomew Ogbeche
The veteran Nigerian, who is playing for the fourth straight year in ISL, has played for three other clubs in the past. He is the third-highest goalscorer in the history of ISL, and he is already leading the race for goals scored this season with 6 goals to his name. Being in his late thirties, there were a few questions regarding his ability to score goals and play the full matches, but in spite of being 37, he has proved that he is still capable of leading the attack for the Nizams. The former PSG striker has a wealth of experience, and his natural ability to poach any loose ball in and around the opposition goal and his bullet-like shots and hammering headers makes him a defender’s nightmare.
Javi Hernandez
The Spanish playmaker is on the form of his life, having scored three goals and made two assists. His performance in the midfield cannot be measured in numbers, and his ability to carry the ball into the final third, dribble out of tight spaces, and his understanding to find space between the lines makes him a very dangerous proposition to come up against. With an accurate passing rate and good from set-pieces, he is a constant menace to opposition midfielders and defenders, as he picks the right pass and can take on players and run past them as if they are not there. He is deadly from set-pieces, with two of his goals were scored from corner and free-kick, respectively.
Predicted Line-up
Head-to-head records
Hyderabad FC has won just one out of four matches against Odisha in the ISL. While Odisha FC have won two matches, and one match ended in a stalemate. Thus in the overall head-to-head between the two sides, Odisha FC has a slight advantage in the tie.
Predicted result
Both the teams are blessed with good coaches like Manolo Marquez and Kiko Ramirez, as well as young Indian players and an experienced foreign core. Both the teams have chances to make it to the playoffs this season having never qualified before. When these two sides face, it is usually a tight game, with few goals. IFTWC predicts a 1-1 draw between Hyderabad FC and Odisha FC.
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