Hyderabad FC host FC Goa in an ISL clash on Sunday, with both sides having played out 1-1 draws in their last game. Hyderabad are languishing at the bottom of the ISL table, and Goa are not in the best run of form, with just one win in their last five games.
Goa find themselves just outside the top four after the first six rounds, with them not exactly being their most dominant selves this season - the one that obliterated teams towards the end of the last season.
For Hyderabad, they have shown a nice knack of being able to stay in games, even if they are being played off the park, and that was epitomised by their late equaliser to draw 1-1 against Bengaluru FC in the last game.
Hyderabad FC v FC Goa: Match information
Date: 8th December 2019
Kickoff: 7:30 PM IST
Live Stream: Star Sports Network and Hotstar
Venue: GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium, Hyderabad
Hyderabad FC v FC Goa: Team news
Sahil Panwar is suspended for Hyderabad, with the red card he picked up in their last game against Bengaluru FC. Phil Brown is likely to bring Asish Rai in to replace Panwar, with the young Indian setting up Robin Singh's equaliser, when his shot was palmed straight into the big striker's path by Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
For Goa, Len Doungel, Hugo Boumous and Ahmed Jahouh are back from suspension, giving a huge boost to Sergio Lobera, but there are still question marks over the fitness of their talisman Ferran Corominas. Mourtada Fall is definitely ruled out, though, with a one-match suspension because of the red card he picked up in Goa's last game against Kerala Blasters.
Hyderabad FC v FC Goa: Probable lineups
Hyderabad FC: Kamaljit Singh, Asish Rai, Gurtej Singh, Matthew Kilgallon, Nikhil Poojari, Laldanmawia Ralte, Rafa Lopez, Marko Stankovic, Mohammed Yasir, Marcelinho, Bobo
FC Goa: Mohammad Nawaz, Seriton Fernandes, Chinglensana Singh, Carlos Pena, Mandar Rao Desai, Ahmed Jahouh, Lenny Rodrigues, Edu Bedia, Jackichand Singh, Brandon Fernandes, Manvir Singh
Hyderabad FC v FC Goa: ISL form guide
Hyderabad FC: D-L-L-W-L
FC Goa: D-L-W-D-D
Hyderabad FC v FC Goa head-to-head
Goa are playing Hyderabad for the first time this season, but their head-to-head record against Hyderabad's predecessors - FC Pune City - was pretty even, with both teams having won four games each out of the 10 they played against each other.
Last season, Goa won 4-2 at Fatorda, before losing 2-0 in Pune, thanks to goals from Marcelinho and Stankovic.
FC Pune City wins - 4
FC Goa wins - 4
Draws - 2
Hyderabad FC v FC Goa prediction
With the form that Hyderabad have shown, and Goa being slightly indifferent in recent times, this is not an easy game to call, although Goa's returns from suspension could be a massive factor in deciding the contest.
Hyderabad should have been on the receiving end of a battering in their last game against Bengaluru FC, but hung on to snatch an equaliser at the death. But those kinds of results aren't ones that repeat themselves very often, especially if Hyderabad continue to defend as below-par as they have so far.
Prediction: Hyderabad FC 1-3 FC Goa