OFC vs MBSG Match Details
Date: Monday, 19 September 2023
Time: 19:30 (IST)
Venue: Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneshwar
OFC vs MBSG Match Preview
Odisha FC is gearing up for their most crucial season so far as they will compete in the AFC Cup for the first time ever after lifting the Super Cup last season. That competition was won against all odds and it gave them the ticket to play in Asia representing India. That was the joyous occasion for the club which went on to secure top-notch signings in the summer with this competition in mind. Multiple Shield Winners with Mumbai City FC and continental football experienced Amey Ranawade, Mourtada Fall, Ahmed Jahouh and CY Goddard were bought while established ISL striker like Roy Krishna was added to the forward line already containing Diego Mauricio. Not only that, they appointed one of the most successful coaches in the ISL Sergio Lobera. Under the Spaniard, the Juggernauts wish to reach greater heights by qualifying for the knockouts of the AFC Cup. A task they know will not be easy despite their squad revamp facing Bangladeshi champions Basundhara Kings, Maziya of Maldives and most importantly fellow ISL side Mohun Bagan Super Giant. They start their journey into the competition against the Mariners at home hoping for a first victory against them which will create history.
While Odisha FC are newbies in the AFC Cup, Mohun Bagan has a vast amount of experience playing in the tournament. So far, they have not made it past the inter-zonal semifinal losing to Kuala Lumpur City last time out. The Green and Maroon’s ambition is now to win the whole thing with a catalog of big-money purchases done in the summer. If they do so, they will be the first club from India to taste continental success in an AFC-recognized competition. To make their dream a reality, Indian superstars Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Samad and Anwar Ali’s additions were matched by top foreign signings like Jason Cummings, Armando Sadiku and Hector Yuste. The team already showed their pedigree before the season by winning the Durand Cup by beating strong sides like Mumbai City, FC Goa and arch-rivals East Bengal in the final. Even not being at their best level in terms of fitness etc. It shows the intent of the ISL champions who now want to make their seventh participation a memorable one. Only the winner of the group will progress to the next round and the first three points of the board will be the right step in that direction. Mohun Bagan qualified in the group stages of the AFC Cup by beating Machindra FC of Nepal and Bangladesh's Abhani Dhaka.
OFC vs MBSG Team News
Odisha FC are without Narender Gahlot and Aniket Jadav due to Asian Games commitment but their senior members are all available. For Mohun Bagan, Ashique Kuruniyan’s season-ending injury to an ACL tear is a huge blow to them. Captain Subhasish Bose is also a doubt having picked up a foot injury. Defenders Deepak Tangri and Sumit Rathi are part of the Asian Games squad in China.
OFC vs MBSG Predicted Lineups
OFC: Amrinder Singh; Amey Ranawade, Mourtada Fall, Carlos Delgado, Sahil Panwar; Princeton Rebello, Ahmed Jahouh; Jerry Mawihmingthanga, CY Goddard, Diego Mauricio; Roy Krishna
MBSG: Vishal Kaith; Asish Rai, Anwar Ali, Hector Yuste, Subhasish Bose; Hugo Boumous, Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Abdul Samad; Manvir Singh, Jason Cummings, Dimitri Petratos
OFC vs MBSG Head-to-Head
OFC won - 0
Drawn - 3
MBSG won - 4
OFC vs MBSG Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Kaith (7.5)
DEF: Fall (8.5), Anwar (7.5), Bose (8)
MID: Jerry (8.5), Jahouh (9), Boumous (8), Sahal (8)
FW: Petratos (9), Cummings (8.5), Mauricio (9)
Vice-captain: Diego Mauricio
Captain: Dimitri Petratos
