NorthEast United vs Odisha (Durand Cup 2022): Preview and Prediction
The stage for Asia’s oldest existing football tournament is set as the Durand Cup is ready to roll down for its 131st edition. The two Indian Super League outfits Odisha FC and NorthEast United FC are gearing up for their debut in this prestigious club competition. The first Group D fixture between these two ISL combatants will be played at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium of Guwahati on the 17th of August.
This is the golden opportunity for the Highlanders to their first-ever major club honour and to end their trophyless run. After all these years under the reigns of many high-profile managers, no one has been able to give it back to the passionate fans who have been with this club from Day 1. The Guwahati-based club finished 10th in the previous ISL season hence they went through major changes in the higher authorities in the hope of glory days.
On the other hand, Odisha FC is yet to win any silverware since the inception of the club back in 2014 as Delhi Dynamos FC. The change in the base from the country’s capital city to Bhubaneswar has instilled a spark in their approach however, they are still far away from fulfilling the expectations.
A familiar face in the Odisha camp
A 7th-placed finish in the 2021-22 ISL edition forced the Juggernauts to get back to their former gaffer Josep Gombau. Gombau who was earlier serving as the club’s technical committee member gladly accepted the new role and has brought a wave of excitement among the Kalinga Warriors’ fanbase.
Head to Head record
Since the rebranding of Odisha FC in 2019, both clubs have faced each other eight times at the grand stage of the Indian Super League. And the head-to-head count of this battle currently favours the Juggernauts who have emerged victorious four times over their counterparts while the Highlanders are also not far behind with three wins. The average of goals being scored in this rivalry is 2.9 goals per game and interestingly, there haven’t been any goalless encounters between them yet.
The most recent face-off between these two combatants was the Match No. 64 of the 2021-22 ISL played at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium of Fatorda. The Kalinga Warriors registered a 2-0 triumph over the Northeasterners with the help of strikes from Daniel Lalhlimpuia and Aridai Cabrera. It was the turning point for the Highlanders’ ISL campaign where they completely lost the hopes of qualifying for the playoff round.
The iconic Asamoah Gyan celebration after scoring the winner
NorthEast United registered an emphatic victory over its counterparts when they last hosted Odisha at IGA Stadium. Where the Indian youngster Redeem Tlang’s 2nd-minute early blow and Xisco Hernandez’s 71st-minute equaliser levelled up the scoreline. Then the legendary Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan scored a late winner and snatched the three match points from the visitors.
Amidst the transfer window
Just moments ago, NorthEast United issued the official announcements of the retention of their familiar Indian faces who will be once again seen wearing the red outfits. The retained pool of players includes a few renowned names of Mirshad Michu, Provat Lakra, Mashoor Shereef, Tondonba Singh etc. However, they are yet to announce any foreign arrivals to the roster.
The Juggernauts have welcomed Pedro Martin, Saul Crespo, Osama Malik, Diego Mauricio, Carlos Delgado and Victor Rodriguez to their foreign ranks for the upcoming ISL season. To the joy of Odisha fans, all of them are available for Durand Cup and will be part of the touring squad for Guwahati. It’s a homecoming for the 31-year-old Brazilian forward Diego Mauricio who is returning to the Purple Army after spending a season at Mumbai City FC.
Team News
The newly appointed Highlanders’ head coach Marco Balbul has arrived in the City of Guwahati all the way from Israel. The support staff featuring assistant coach Paul Groves and strength & conditioning coach Niall Clark have also landed in India to join the Israeli gaffer at NorthEast United. They will be accommodated by the young Indian coach Floyd Pinto who had previously served as the head coach of India’s U-19 side.
The coaching duo of Josep Gombau and Clifford Miranda are having hard preparations with the Odisha squad for quite a long time. The Juggernauts are among very few ISL outfits who have announced a full-strength roster for the Durand Cup competition. Hence this tournament will act as a primary test for the Kalinga Warriors to impress their team management right before the commencement of ISL.
Predicted Starting XIs
NorthEast United (4-4-2): Arindam Bhattacharya; Mashoor Shereef, Provat Lakra, Mohamed Irshad, Tondonba Singh; Jithin MS, Sehnaj Singh, Imran Khan, Emil Benny; Rochharzela, Laldanmawia Ralte
Odisha (4-3-3): Lalthuammawia Ralte; Shubham Sarangi, Narender Gahlot, Carlos Delgado, Denechandra Meitei; Saul Crespo, Raynier Fernandes, Victor Rodriguez; Jerry Mawihmingthanga, Diego Mauricio, Michael Soosairaj
Prediction
Having foreign players in the lineup will hand over an edge to the Bhubaneswar-based club in this encounter. However, NorthEast United is always known for having a strong Indian core which provides sustainability to the roster. The favorable Guwahati conditions and advantage of playing on the home turf can go to Highlanders’ way if they are able to capitalise on this opportunity.
