Odisha FC head coach Sergio Lobera awaits the arrival of his former club Mumbai City FC at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.

Lobera, who had propelled the Islanders to the historic Indian Super League (ISL) double in 2020/21, will lock horns with Mumbai City FC for the first time since his return to India with the Juggernauts for this campaign.

What’s at stake?

Odisha FC

Odisha FC are the only team to have kept a clean sheet in the inaugural matchweek as they bounced back from a heavy defeat against the Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the AFC Cup to triumph over Chennaiyin FC by 2-0.

This is a clash between two coaches with the highest win rate in the ISL history – with Mumbai City FC’s Des Buckingham topping the charts with 58.13% in 43 matches and Lobera following him with 53.75% in 80 games.

Mumbai City FC

Securing early victories in away fixtures will set Mumbai City FC up perfectly for the rest of the campaign when they return to their fortress at the Mumbai Football Arena (MFA). The Islanders already beat NorthEast United in Guwahati in their opening fixture and a victory against a promising-looking Odisha FC setup will be a huge morale booster for the defending ISL League Winners.

Key Players

Jerry Mawihmingthana (Odisha FC)

The 26-year-old demonstrated impeccable footwork and sharpshooting to bag Odisha’s opener against Chennaiyin FC last week. His goal-scoring instincts and footwork inside the box have arguably improved and his face-off against Mumbai City FC’s seasoned will be an exciting matchup on Friday.

Lalengmawia Ralte (Mumbai City FC)

Lobera beats his opponents by outclassing them at the centre of the park. Lalengmawia Ralte capped off a fine performance against the Highlanders – pulling off 46 passes at a 95% success rate. Buckingham will rely on him to set the tempo of the game from the heart of the midfield against Odisha.

Head-to-Head

Played – 18

Mumbai City FC – 10

Odisha FC – 5

Draws – 3

Trivia:

• Mumbai City scored a combined six goals and conceded only twice in their victories in both their matches against Odisha FC last season.
• Sergio Lobera was at the helm of Mumbai City FC when they did the historic ISL double – the League Shield and the Cup

Team Talk

“Obviously, we have started the season well against Chennaiyin FC - a very good team. We need to put our focus on the next game against a very good, strong team. We are excited about this. This is the second game at home in front of our supporters. It’s a special game for me because I was there, I was working at Mumbai City FC - it was an amazing experience for me, one of the best experiences of my career working with the City Football Group and winning everything. Obviously, I have very good memories of this club. Tomorrow, it’s a special game for me because I want to win with Odisha FC. We are working very hard to prepare in the best way possible for this game and we are excited about this big challenge,” Lobera reflected on locking horns with the Islanders.

“We have just come on the back of the first game of the ISL against a very good NorthEast United FC team. It’s about continuing the good work that we have done from the start of the pre-season building up from last year. It’s a game that we are looking forward to against a very good and tough Odisha team. We have done as much as we can to be prepared for it,” Mumbai City FC’s Buckingham outlined his team’s preparation ahead of the match.

Where to Watch

Viacom18 is the new home of Indian football and the match between Mumbai City FC and Odisha FC will kick off at prime time of 8 PM on September 28, 2023. Fans across the country can catch the action in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam. Fans can watch the action on linear channels like Sports18 Khel (Hindi), Sports18 1 SD & HD (English), VH1 SD & HD (English), Surya Movies (Malayalam), DD Bangla & Colors Bangla Cinema (Bengali).

In addition to this, as part of FSDL’s partnership with OneFootball, ISL live streams and highlights to all matches of the upcoming 2023-24 season will be delivered across more than 190 countries.

ISL Fantasy: Matchweek 1 – Roundup

Highest Score – Manager Manav Gambhir leads the leaderboard in ISL Fantasy after the opening matchweek with 74 points.

Average Score – Players amassed an average score of 29.7 in the game post the first five games.

Top Picks – Jorge Pererya Diaz emerged as the hottest pick in the game from the first set of matches following his incredible twin strikes against the Highlanders away from home.

Players to Watch Out – Indian youngsters such as Liston Colaco, Parthib Gogoi, and Aakash Sangwan along with Kerala’s Japanese star Daisuke Sakai and Mohun Bagan’s Dimitri Petratos are the players one should secure in the team for the chance of yielding optimum returns in Matchweek 2.

If not registered already, fans can participate in the overall league or club-based leagues based on their preferences. create private leagues, inviting friends and fellow football aficionados to compete. Prizes include a Sony PlayStation®️5 gaming console, EA Sports FC 24, signed club merchandise, and a Gift Card worth INR 20,000, which will be awarded to 100 winners at the end of the season. Sign up at: https://fantasy.indiansuperleague.com/

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