Two unbeaten sides in the 2023-24 Indian Super League season, Goa and Mumbai City will square off against each other at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda on Tuesday. The Gaurs and the Islanders will try their best to inflict a loss on their opponents and inch closer to booking their playoff spot.
Goa is at the top of the points table with 19 points from 7 matches. They have six wins and one draw to their name and have conceded only 3 goals under Manolo Marquez’s tutelage, the least number of goals conceded in the season so far.
Goa’s strength lies in their defensive setup with the back four of Sandesh Jhingan, Odei Onaindia, Serotonin Fernandes, and Jay Gupta leaving little space for the opposition attackers to go through. Gupta and Jhingan have notched a goal each to their name in the ISL this season as well.
Mumbai City, on the other hand, occupy the fourth spot with 14 points from 6 encounters. With four wins and two draws to their names, a win would take them to the second spot in the points table above Kerala Blasters and Mohun Bagan Super Giants.
After Des Buckingham’s departure to Oxford, Petr Kratky will helm the affairs for the Islanders in the crunch encounter against Goa. It remains to be seen how he shapes his side which has scored 13 goals from six matches and has the second highest average goals scored per game this ISL season.
Current Form
Goa enters the top of the table fixture on the back of three consecutive victories. A 3-0 win over Chennaiyin was followed by a slim 1-0 win over Jamshedpur before their latest victim Kerala Blasters suffered a 1-0 loss.
The Gaurs have not let their opponents find the back of the net in their last four fixtures as the last time they conceded a goal came in the 2-1 comeback win over East Bengal. Rowllin Borges scored the winning goal against Kerala Blasters just before half-time while Victor Rodriguez smashed the ball into the net in the 82nd minute against Jamshedpur.
Goa didn’t allow Chennaiyin to settle into the game with Boris Singh, Rowllin Borges, and substitute Udanta Singh scoring goals in the 3-0 win.
The fate is very similar for Mumbai City in the ISL as they have won thrice and drawn once in their last four fixtures. However, they endured a horrible AFC Champions League campaign in between as they lost all six of their matches in the continental extravaganza.
Jorge Pereyra Diaz and Lalengmawia Ralte found their names in the scoresheet in a 2-1 win over Kerala Blasters. It was followed by a 1-1 draw against bottom-placed Hyderabad as Tiri scored an own goal in the dying embers of the contest.
Greg Stewart and Jorge Pereyra Diaz scored a goal each within a minute to complete their 2-1 comeback win over Punjab while a four-goal thrashing to Bengaluru saw the latter sacking their coach Simon Grayson at the end of the match. Abdenasser El Khayati, Akash Mishra, Jorge Pereyra Diaz, and Lallianzuala Chhangte were the goalscorers in the match.
Head to Head Record
Goa and Mumbai City have squared off against each other a total of 22 times with the Islanders coming out on top on 10 occasions. The Gaurs have gained the upper hand five times with seven fixtures ending in a draw.
At the Fatorda Stadium last year, it was Mumbai City who emerged victorious by a 5-3 scoreline. Noah Sadaoui gave the home side an early lead before Greg Stewart levelled the proceedings.
Jorge Pereyra Diaz put the Islanders in the lead with Brandon Fernandez equalizing for Goa this time. Stewart scored the third goal of the night before Lallianzuala Chhangte and Vikram Pratap Singh piled further misery. Brison Fernandes managed to find his name in the scoresheet but it turned out to be a mere consolation.
Team News
Mumbai City have one of the best attacking units in the ISL
Goa’s Rowllin Borges suffered an injury after scoring against Kerala Blasters at half-time and is likely to be on the bench. Udanta Singh is likely to take his position in the starting line-up. Raynier Fernandes is likely to slot in the defensive midfield role while Udanta attacks from the right flank. Brandon Fernandes is still nursing his injury and his availability remains a concern.
Lallianzuala Chhangte might make a return to the starting line-up of Mumbai City replacing Abdenasser El Khayati. Tiri can also be seen replacing Mehtab Singh so that the Islanders have an extra foreigner in the back four.
Predicted Starting XIs
Goa (4-2-3-1): Arshdeep Singh; Seriton Fernandes, Odei Onaindia, Sandesh Jhingan, Jay Gupta, Raynier Fernandes, Carl McHugh, Boris Singh Thangjam, Victor Rodrigues, Udanta Singh, Noah Sadaoui
Mumbai City (4-3-3): Phurba Lachenpa; Rahul Bheke, Tiri, Rostyn Griffiths, Akash Mishra; Vinit Rai, Lalengmawia Ralte, Greg Stewart; Vikram Pratap Singh, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Jorge Pereyra Diaz
Prediction
This is going to be an exciting encounter. While Goa will rely on their defensive solidarity, Mumbai City will be banking on their attacking prowess. The Gaurs are known to strike late in the match as the opponents tire out. One can expect something similar to happen on Tuesday as the Islanders find themselves in the middle of a coach transition.