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FC Goa host Odisha FC in an ISL clash on Sunday, as Sergio Lobera's men look to go back to the top of the ISL standings, and re-assert their supremacy in the league, after an indifferent run was snapped in their win over ATK last time out.
Odisha, too, come into this one with a win under their belt, after beating Hyderabad FC 3-2 in their last game.
Josep Gombau is still struggling to find defensive solidity in his side, but he is getting plenty of attacking returns from the likes of Aridane Santana and Xisco Hernandez.
For Goa, the lack of suspensions and injuries now means that they can really kickstart their season to the levels we know they can go to. They haven't really hit their own high standards so far yet, and Lobera has acknowledged as much.
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FC Goa v Odisha FC: Match Information
Date: 22nd December 2019
Kickoff: 7:30pm IST
Live Stream: Star Sports Network and Hotstar
Venue: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Goa
FC Goa v Odisha FC: Team News
Edu Bedia is still not quite up to speed despite an appearance off the bench in the last game, but the form of Ahmed Jahouh and Hugo Boumous means that Lobera can afford to take things slow and allow the Spanish midfielder to recover fully before blooding him into full action.
Goa don't have any real injury problems, and barring any last-minute issues, they are expected to change nothing from their last game against ATK.
Odisha, as well, have stumbled on to a settled line-up, with Gombau willing to put his faith in this group of players. Xisco and Aridane have been among the goals, Jerry Mawihminghthanga has been outstanding, but Odisha need to be more solid at the back.
FC Goa v Odisha FC: Probable Lineups
FC Goa: Mohammad Nawaz, Seriton Fernandes, Mourtada Fall, Carlos Pena, Mandar Rao Desai, Ahmed Jahouh, Lenny Rodrigues, Jackichand Singh, Hugo Boumous, Brandon Fernandes, Ferran Corominas
Odisha FC: Arshdeep Singh, Shubham Sarangi, Diawandou Diagne, Carlos Delgado, Narayan Das, Marcos Tebar, Vinit Rai, Jerry Mawihmingthanga, Xisco Hernandez, Nandhakumar Sekar, Aridane Santana
FC Goa v Odisha FC: ISL Form Guide
FC Goa: W-W-D-L-W
Odisha FC: W-L-D-D-D
FC Goa v Odisha FC Head-to-Head
This will be Odisha's first match against Goa, but when they were the Delhi Dynamos, Goa had the edge over their opponents, with seven wins in 12 outings against the side from the national capital.
Goa also beat Delhi Dynamos over two legs in the semifinal of the 2015 ISL.
FC Goa wins: 7
Delhi Dynamos wins: 3
Draws: 2
FC Goa v Odisha FC Prediction
With the quality that Goa possess with an entirely available squad, and Odisha's propensity to not defend very well, it is hard to see anything other than a comfortable home win.
Prediction: FC Goa 3-1 Odisha FC
