FC Goa have seemingly turned their season around after a dismal start saw them at rock bottom in the Hero Indian Super League at the halfway point. They now find themselves in the top four after a morale boosting victory against FC Pune City. Third placed Kerala Blasters FC have also resurrected their campaign and came through a tough, controversial fixture at home against Atlético de Kolkata with a 2-1 victory. A win for either side on Wednesday will help them pull away from the pack and consolidate their claims for a semi-final berth. The hosts will also want to avenge the 1-0 loss to the visitors in the first leg.Zico’s side are far superior from an attacking point of view, having netted 11 goals as compared to the David James-coached side’s eight. Goa even have more shots (148-118) and shots on goal (89-60) than their opponents which is what has made them the third highest goal scorers in the league behind Chennaiyin FC (20) and Atlético de Kolkata (13). With new coaching staff in tow, Zico will expect his side to come out all guns blazing.On the defensive side, the visitors have an edge over the hosts, having kept four clean sheets to Goa’s three. The Kerala defence has also put in more interceptions (316-290) and blocks (63-47) than Zico’s men. So a potent attack will square off against a compact defence in what promises to be an enthralling encounter at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda.Form guide (most recent matches first)FC Goa: WDWDLKerala Blasters FC: WWDDWGrégory Arnolin vs Iain HumeThe Frenchman has been part of every game for Zico’s side and is the acting skipper in the absence of Robert Pirès. A strong and stable defender, the Martinique international has the ability to stop attacks with excellent interceptions and superbly timed tackles. He’s a potent threat from set-pieces as well. Iain Hume is a tenacious striker who can convert half-chances into goals, like he did in his previous match against Kolkata. The former Canadian international will look to use his pace and movement to exploit any perceived weakness on Arnolin’s part. André Santos vs Raphael RomeyThe Brazilian playmaker has been Zico’s go to man in the league. Santos has controlled the midfield with aplomb along with marquee player Pirés. His accurate passing, vision and shooting make him a dangerous player around the box. His set-piece delivery is also fantastic. He provided the assist for Romeo Fernandes to score in the previous match and Santos will be looking to take it one step further and score his second goal in the tournament. Against him will be Frenchman Raphael Romey who has made the defensive midfield position his own in the Kerala set-up. Romey has the ability to put in tackles and stop attacks effectively but he will have a task on his hands policing the ex-Arsenal man.Mandar Rao Desai vs Sandesh JhinganThe young Goa winger has caught the eye with his impressive performances. His speed and skill on the ball make him a dangerous proposition. Desai has the tendency to run down the left wing and put in early crosses. He has however disappointed with his finishing ability and the youngster will want to correct that by getting on the score sheet tomorrow. Against him will be another up and coming player, Sandesh Jhingan. The full back has put in some scintillating performances and will hope to continue his rich vein of form. Jhingan is strong, pacy and crosses well and also moves up to join his team in attacks.Players to watchFC GoaRomeo Fernandes – The diminutive right winger has been a revelation for Zico’s side. His pace on and off the ball is a key element of Goa’s game play. His trickery also forces defenders to put in mistimed tackles. Having scored in the previous encounter off a Santos free-kick, the wily winger will want to continue his good form and help his team nail down a berth in the knockout phase.Kerala Blasters FCMilagres Gonsalves – The Goan striker netted the only goal of the match when these two sides met in the first leg. He will want to do the hit job again in his own backyard against the home club. His movement is excellent and in partnership with Hume, Gonsalves can give Arnolin & Co a tough evening.Team SpeakFC GoaZico (Head coach): “As we continue playing, we become more solid and we corrected the mistakes that we made earlier… in the first round we were not playing badly.”Keralal Blasters FCDavid James (Player-head coach): “We’re going to be respecting Goa’s form but we will be playing solely for a win.”
