Odisha FC chase first-ever ISL win against FC Goa to enter playoff positions

Margao (Goa) [India], February 5 (ANI): FC Goa will lock horns with Odisha FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa on Thursday.
According to a release from ISL, the Gaurs are aiming for a third league double against Odisha FC, since they had won the reverse fixture by a 4-2 margin on January 4. FC Goa have won seven out of the 11 encounters against the Juggernauts against the ISL. This makes them only one of the two teams in the league history, besides Mohun Bagan Super Giant (against East Bengal FC), to stay unbeaten against a single opponent after facing them over 10 times.
In their previous clash, FC Goa lost 1-3 to Jamshedpur FC, which snapped their 12-game-long unbeaten run that comprised eight triumphs. The Gaurs will be eyeing to avoid consecutive defeats in the same season for the first time since April last year, when they were defeated by Mumbai City FC twice.
Odisha FC, on the other hand, have momentum in their side, since they won their last away game by 3-2 against Bengaluru FC, and then drew 2-2 at home against NorthEast United FC. Prior to the match against the Blues, the Sergio Lobera-coached side was on a three-game-long winless streak on the road (D2 L1). The Juggernauts have previously managed back-to-back away wins only twice, between November-December 2024 and December 2023-February 2024.
FC Goa are placed third in the points table with 33 points from 18 matches, as they have won nine encounters and drawn six times. They will want to surpass the second-placed Jamshedpur FC (34), whereas Odisha FC are also three points (25) adrift the sixth-placed Mumbai City FC (28).
FC Goa have emerged victorious in all three home matches against Odisha FC, scoring exactly three goals in each encounter.
Odisha FC have scored the second-most goals in the ISL (36), averaging two strikes per game thus far. Diego Mauricio leads their charts by finding the back of the net nine times, followed by Jerry Mawihmingthanga (5), Mourtada Fall (4).
Mourtada Fall has recorded 21 blocks this season, making him one of only two players to surpass 20 blocks (alongside Alex Saji - 23). Fall is three blocks away from equaling the record for most in a single ISL season by an Odisha FC player (24 - Steven Taylor, 2020-21).
FC Goa head coach Manolo Marquez encouraged his team to rediscover their form after their 3-1 loss to Jamshedpur FC.
"We need to play in the way that we were doing, at least, to be competitive like in the previous games," Marquez was quoted in a release from ISL as saying.
Odisha FC assistant coach Anthony Fernandes spoke about his team's playing template.
"We love to have possession of the ball and we do that to a great extent. We create plenty of chances and that shows our creativity," Fernandes said.
The two teams have faced each other 11 times in the ISL, with FC Goa winning seven times and four games producing draws. An average of 3.27 goals has been scored in this fixture. (ANI)