Football
Chennaiyin FC vs Odisha FC: Five Things to expect and Dream 11 predictions from the ISL match
Both teams suffered defeats in their previous matches in the league.
Chennaiyin FC and Odisha FC will lock horns in their upcoming Indian Super League 2021-22 fixture. The outfits are battling for a place in the playoffs and will hope to secure three points in the upcoming game. Bozidar Bandovic's men are sitting with eight points from five matches while Kiko Ramirez's men have nine points from their first five contests.
Both tacticians are experiencing their first season in the ISL and will aim to achieve success for their respective clubs. The stakes are high for the match and the contest will be exciting, to say the least. Here are the top five things one can expect from match number 33 between CFC and OFC:
Back to winning ways
Both teams come into this game with similar outcomes in their previous fixtures. Odisha FC lost their match to Jamshedpur FC by 0-4 which saw Greg Stewart score the first hat-trick of the season. On the other hand, Mumbai City FC handed Chennaiyin FC their first defeat of the season by a 1-0 score. The aim for both teams will be to get back to winning ways and get points on the board.
The first clash between the tacticians
Bozidar Bandovic and Kiko Ramirez are both debutants in this season of the ISL. The former replaces Csaba Laszlo at CFC while the latter replaces Stuart Baxter and Gerry Peyton from the previous year. The upcoming clash between the two head coaches with different philosophies will be interesting to watch. Fans will be waiting in anticipation on how the strategies will look by the bosses who are still adjusting to their new surroundings.
Anirudh Thapa to shine
Anirudh Thapa has been in good form this year. His performances have risen up a few levels since becoming the captain of the team. The box-to-box midfielder performs his defensive and attacking duties exceptionally well. Several other ISL clubs are reportedly interested in acquiring his services. One can expect Thapa to play a central role in the game against the Kalinga Warriors.
A new plan from Bozidar Bandovic
The Marina Machans are playing a type of football that focuses on defensive solidity. Their fixtures have seen relatively low scores, and the approach has worked to some extent in keeping other teams at bay. However, CFC must focus on scoring goals on the other end to win games and collect points. OFC is entering the fixture on the back of a 4-0 defeat against JFC and is there for the taking. An attacking approach from Bandovic could be on the cards.
Close encounter
As aforementioned, Chennaiyin FC's games have been relatively low-scoring and the same can be expected from their match against Odisha FC. The Kalinga Warriors conceded four goals in their last match and could have let in more if JFC were more clinical with their finishing. Expectedly, their approach will be on a more cautious side which means the match could be close and decided by a narrow margin.
Probable Lineups
Chennaiyin FC (4-4-2): Vishal Kaith (GK); Reagan Singh, Slavko Damjanovic, Narayan Das, Jerry Lalrinzuala, Ariel Borysiuk, Vladimir Koman, Anirudh Thapa, Edwin Vanspaul, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Lukasz Gikiewicz
Odisha FC (4-2-3-1): Kamaljit Singh(GK), Hendry Antonay, Hector Rodas, Victor Mongil, Lalruatthara, Paul Ramfangzauva, Vinit Rai, Javi Hernandez, Jerry Mawihmingthanga, Issac Vanmalsawma, Jonathas.
Telecast
The Indian Super League clash between Chennaiyin FC and Odisha FC will be live from 7:30 PM IST on Star Sports Network and Disney + Hotstar.
