RISHABH PAREKH, OP
Bhubaneswar: Following gritty fixtures on away soil resulting in one win and three losses, Odisha FC return for their home game after six weeks against Mohammedan SC in the Indian Super League Friday. Having slipped to 11th in the standings with five points, the Juggernauts will look to regain momentum on their home advantage to arrest their slide. Finishing with maximum points Friday would take Odisha FC to eight points. In a press conference held at the Kalinga Stadium Thursday, OFC’s defender Vanlalzuidika Chhakchhuak with head coach Purushothaman TG expressed the joy of coming back to Odisha. “Ofcourse it feels amazing coming back, to our stadium and city. It is great to feel at home. The players are happy too,” Purushothaman said.
Looking at the positives and addressing past results, the head coach added, “We lost last two games after a good win but we fought hard and played well. We need to convert the chances we get and keep our defensive shape. The team is working on it.” When asked if the team feels more confident ahead of their fixture against winless Mohammedan, the coach said, “There is no such thing as overconfidence. We take each team as equal and it is going to be a challenging battle. This is our first match against them and we will not underestimate them. Every side is a threat.”
Mohammedan SC travel to Bhubaneswar in hopes of securing their first point of the season, sitting at the bottom of the table without a point from seven matches, the Kolkata side eye a do-or-die battle as they fight to spark a survival bid against the looming threat of relegation. Across their last two Indian Super League encounters, neither side has been able to score or secure a win, with both matches finishing in goalless 0–0 draws. The fixture presents critical scenarios across the points table.
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