KOLKATA: Going down to Kerala Blasters in their last match after taking an early lead, Odisha FC would look forward to some home comfort when they take on Bengaluru FC in their fourth-round Indian Super League (ISL) match at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.
The Blues, on the other hand, come into the match following a goalless draw against FC Goa at home.
Occupying the eighth and 10th spots on the table, respectively, only better goal difference separates Odisha from their Tuesday’s opponents as the two underperforming sides have four points after as many games.
And as the Juggernauts aim for their second win of the league season after back-to-back defeats in the league, their performance has been anything but consistent including that in AFC Cup group stage. Thumping Maziya Sports 6-1 last week in the continental meet was preceded by losing to the Gaurs 2-3 before the international break.
Asked about their chances against Bengaluru, Odisha coach Sergio Lobera said at the pre match press conference on Monday, “They (Bengaluru FC) have very good players, but we are ready. We are excited with this opportunity because when you lose one game, you want to play the other game very early because it’s an opportunity to show everyone that we can come back stronger. The last game was painful for us and we are looking forward to playing the next game against BFC. We have two games at home in four days, so it’s a good opportunity for us to get points and to come back in the top positions.”
Free from any injury concerns, Bengaluru gaffer Simon Grayson was in good spirits ahead of the game.
“We will go to Odisha in good spirits, knowing that we will keep working and improving with every match. We know it’s a tough game, but I am sure Odisha will look at our team and think that it’s a tough game for them as well. We are looking forward to it. It’s a quick turnaround, after the Odisha game, we have got Hyderabad again; so we have to look at both the travelling and the squad again. So yeah, we are in good spirits, coming off a clean sheet and a good point,” said Grayson.
