Odisha FC is set to face Australian club Central Coast Mariners in the first leg of the AFC Cup Inter-Zonal semifinal on Thursday. The Indian Super League side will be facing a tough challenge, having played a match in Chennai on Sunday night and having limited time to adjust to the atmospheric conditions and time difference in Australia.
Head coach Sergio Lobera expressed frustration over the lack of flexibility from the ISL, stating that Odisha FC represents not only themselves but also the league and the country in Asian competition. Despite requesting a date change for their match against Chennaiyin, their appeals were denied. This has resulted in Odisha FC having minimal time for preparation in Australia before the game.
In their group stage, Odisha FC had to stage a remarkable comeback after losing their first two matches. They secured their spot in the knockout stages with impressive victories over Maziya, Mohun Bagan, and Bashundhara Kings. On the other hand, Central Coast Mariners had to play additional games to reach this stage, topping their group and defeating teams like Macarthur FC in the ASEAN Zonal semifinal.
Central Coast Mariners are in good form, winning their last five matches, including victories in the AFC Cup zonal playoffs and the A-League. Odisha FC will be looking to bounce back from their recent loss to Chennaiyin and improve their form, having won only two of their last five matches.
The match will feature key foreign forwards from both teams, with players like Diego Mauricio and Roy Krishna for Odisha FC, and Angel Torres and Ronald Barcellos for Central Coast Mariners posing significant threats. Both teams will rely on their attacking prowess to secure a positive result in the first leg of the semifinal.
The lineup for Central Coast Mariners is expected to include Danny Vukovic, Storm Roux, Dan Hall, Brian Kaltak, Jacob Farrell, Christian Theoharous, Josh Nisbet, Max Balard, Angel Torres, Ronald Barcellos, and Jing Reec. Odisha FC is likely to field Amrinder Singh, Amey Ranawade, Mourtada Fall, Carlos Delgado, Jerry Lalrinzuala, Ahmed Jahouh, Puitea, Roy Krishna, Cy Goddard, Isak Ralte, and Diego Mauricio.
