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In a bid to get reclaim the top spot in the ISL, Odisha FC are set to host East Bengal FC at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar on Thursday, February 29.
The repeat of the Super Cup final is certainly highly anticipated, given the drama of that day. The Kolkata giants edged out Odisha in extra time to secure a famous 3-2 victory, ending their 12-year trophy drought.
The Juggernauts will still be nursing their wounds from that final and will aim to narrow the gap to Mumbai City at the top, as they currently trail the Islanders by two points. Sergio Lobera’s side have also drawn their last two home games, and consequently, they will be eager to end that streak.
The significant news is the return of Ahmed Jahouh after his suspension against Mohun Bagan, which is a massive boost considering their struggles to create chances without the Moroccan.
"We need to put the focus on the next game, on tomorrow’s game. We need to go in the same way we have been going forward, step by step and game by game. And if we keep working in the same way then at the end of the season, we can get a chance to celebrate," Lobera said during the pre-match press conference.
Meanwhile, East Bengal FC, who had been on a barren spell in the ISL with just one victory in their last eight games, managed to secure crucial three points against Chennaiyin FC, propelling them to eighth place in the table.
Nandhakumar Sekar’s second-half goal proved decisive against the Marina Machans, although Carles Cuadrat’s men were far from convincing. Nonetheless, with 18 points to their name, they are just two points behind sixth-placed Jamshedpur FC and have played one game less
Odisha are slight favorites to win this encounter, but East Bengal, as they displayed in the Kalinga Super Cup, have the potential to cause an upset.
Odisha FC vs East Bengal FC: Head-to-head record
Matches played: 8
OFC wins: 5
EBFC wins: 2
Draws: 1
Result in the reverse fixture: East Bengal 0-0 Odisha FC
Odisha FC vs East Bengal FC: Top goalscorers this season
Odisha FC: Roy Krishna (11 goals in 16 games)
East Bengal FC: Cleiton Silva (7 goals in 15 games)
Odisha FC vs East Bengal FC: Stats and numbers from the 2023-24 Indian Super League season
Most saves: Amrinder Singh (47), Prabhsukhan Gill (35)
Most assists: Amey Ranawade (4), Nandhakumar Sekar (3)
Most shots per 90 mins: Diego Mauricio (3.0), Cleiton Silva (2.9)
Most clearances: Mourtada Fall (52), Hijazi Maher (75)
