Hyderabad vs Odisha: Preview and Prediction
‘Match 43’ of the 2021-22 season of the Indian Super League will see the fourth-placed Hyderabad squaring off against the seventh-placed Odisha at the Athletic Stadium on Tuesday.
Hyderabad has started this season right from where they left the last one. Manuel Marquez’s team has won three and lost only one of their 7 matches, accumulating a total of 12 points in the procedure, and are coming into this match on the back of a six-match unbeaten streak.
On the other hand, Kiko Ramirez’s Odisha had a brilliant start to their campaign but has failed to maintain consistency. They have amassed 10 points in 7 matches and are without a win in their last three encounters.
How have they done so far?
The Nizams started the season with a shocking 1-0 defeat to two-time ISL champions but bounced back with a 3-1 win against the reigning champions Mumbai City. Jamshedpur stopped them in their tracks with a 1-1 draw before Hyderabad found its way back in the current season.
Hyderabad’s successive victories against Bengaluru and NorthEast United altered the complexion of the standings. Though, Marquez’s men have been able to secure only draws in their previous two matches against Goa and East Bengal and will be eager to get back to winning ways.
Odisha’s graph is the exact opposite of Hyderabad’s graph in the 2021/22 ISL season as they won their first two assignments against Bengaluru and East Bengal quite comfortably. Though Kerala Blasters ended their streak in the third match, the Juggernauts bounced back in fashion with a 1-0 win over NorthEast United.
It remains Odisha’s last win of the season so far, as they have only experienced agony in the last couple of weeks or so. Jamshedpur and Chennaiyin handed them consecutive defeats while they could only salvage a draw against Goa in their last match.
Head to Head Record
Odisha are slightly ahead of Odisha when it comes to head-to-head records. In the four meetings between these two newly-formed sides, the Juggernauts have won twice while the Nizams have emerged victorious on a solitary occasion, while another match ended as a draw.
The first meeting of last season ended 1-0 in Hyderabad favour courtesy of an Aridane Santana penalty while the return leg produced a 1-1 stalemate where Halicharan Narzary’s strike gave the Nizams an early lead while former midfielder Cole Alexander restored parity in the second half for Odisha.
Team News
Thoiba Singh can return to Odisha’s midfield
Marquez will not be happy with his attacking unit’s lacklustre display against the Red and Golds and he might want to change a thing or two. Rohit Danu had an uneventful evening at the right flank as he could not create a single opportunity and got only one cross in.
He could be replaced by Sahil Tavora while Australian winger Joel Chianese might also be dropped to the bench after a subpar show against East Bengal. In his place, former Racing Santander striker Javi Siverio could be handed a start.
Ramirez made wholesale changes to the Odisha starting XI after the defeat against Chennaiyin. Some of his decisions paid dividends like playing Jerry Mawihmingthanga on the left flank while the decision to reintroduce Vinit Rai at the middle of the park backfired.
The Juggernauts skipper had a hard time against the likes of Edu Bedia and Alberto Noguera and he might have to make way for Thoiba Singh for this match while the former Sabadell manager could match Marquez’s 4-2-3-1 formation replacing winger Nandhakumar Sekar with midfielder Paul Ramfangzuava.
Predicted Starting Lineups
Hyderabad (4-2-3-1): Laxmikant Kattimani; Nikhil Poojari, Chinglensana Singh, Joao Victor, Akash Mishra; Hitesh Sharma, Edu Garcia; Sahil Tavora, Javi Siverio, Aniket Jadhav; Bartholomew Ogbeche.
Odisha (4-2-3-1): Kamaljit Singh; Hendry Antonay, Hector Ramirez, Victor Mongil, Lalhrezuala Sailung; Thoiba Singh, Paul Ramfangzuava; Isaac Vanmalsawma, Javi Hernandez, Jerry Mawihmingthanga; Jonathas.
Prediction
Hyderabad has been more consistent than their opponents this season and they also have momentum on their side with Odisha picking up only one point from their previous three outings. Hence, we have predicted a 2-1 victory for the Nizams.