The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa will witness its first game of the 2018-19 Hero Indian Super League (ISL) campaign when FC Goa take on Mumbai City FC on Wednesday. Fans can expect plenty of goals with both sides known for their attacking flair and leaky defences.

FC GOA

Goa sounded out a warning to the rest of the league by dismantling defending champions Chennaiyin FC away from home in their second match. The Gaurs looked flawless in attack, spearheaded by the mercurial Ferran Corominas. However, even though they are clinical going forward, Goa still suffer from a few cracks in defence. Sergio Lobera’s men have registered only two clean sheets since the start of the last season, highlighting an area they need to address.

The defensive pairing of Seriton Fernandes and Mourtada Fall need time to adjust to the new settings but they will have to be on their toes against the Islanders. In midfield Edu Bedia and Ahmed Jahouh ran the show against Chennaiyin and will look to do the same on Wednesday. Brandon Fernandes could feature for the first time this season after returning to the squad from suspension. His partnership with Corominas upfront will be crucial to the sides’ fortunes in front of goal.

Here’s a look at Goa’s season in numbers:

MUMBAI CITY FC

Jorge Costa would have breathed a sigh of relief when Mumbai City picked up their first victory of the season against FC Pune City in the Maha Derby. The Islanders were relatively tame in their opening two league encounters and needed a positive result at home to get their season going. However, Goa are a different challenge and Costa will have to ensure that his defence is in top form. Defending resolutely will be a test for Mumbai, who have managed only one clean sheet in their last 12 games.

Key to Mumbai’s chances against Goa will also be the form of midfield trio Arnold Issoko, Paulo Machado and Modou Sougou. Rafael Bastos is high on confidence after his first goal of the campaign against Pune and he will be looking to add more to his tally. The defensive duo of Lucian Goian and Subhasish Bose definitely have their work cut out against a strong attacking line-up but they do possess the experience and the know-how to cope with the pressure.

Here’s a look at Mumbai ‘s season in numbers:

EXPECTED LINE-UPS:

FC GOA: Mohammad Nawaz, Seriton Fernandes, Chinglensana Singh, Mourtada Fall, Mandar Rao Dessai, Ahmed Jahouh, Jackichand Singh, Hugo Boumous, Edu Bedia, Brandon Fernandes, Ferran Corominas

MUMBAI CITY FC: Amrinder Singh, Sauvik Chakrabarti, Lucian Goian, Subhasish Bose, Shouvik Ghosh, Arnold Issoko, Paulo Machado, Sehnaj Singh, Raynier Fernandes, Modou Sougou, Rafael Bastos

DID YOU KNOW?

• Ferran Corominas has scored three braces in his last five matches.
• The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa has witnessed an average of 4.1 goals/match in the Hero ISL since the start of last season, the highest ratio in the league.
• Mumbai City has played a lot of direct football with 82 long balls so far. This is the second highest after Bengaluru (90).

FANSPEAK

Between the two, which midfielder will have a greater influence on the side?

• Edu Bedia
• Paulo Machado

Have your say in the comments section below. 

Catch the match live on the Star Sports Network, Hotstar and Jio TV from 7:30 PM.