After a rather disappointing start to their Indian Super League campaign, Odisha FC will be looking to grab their first win of the season as they take on Jamshedpur FC at the Tilak Maidan Stadium in Vasco on Sunday. Both teams began the new campaign with disappointing losses.
Odisha were undone by a solitary goal scored by former striker Aridane Santana of Hyderabad FC. What will have worried new coach Stuart Baxter even more was the lack of cohesion at the back and limp display by the front men. They only attempted 6 shots in the game as compared to the opposition's 17. The defensive problems were a major reason behind the team's failure to make the knockouts last season.
"Tactically, the balance was wrong. We ended up being very separated. We couldn't get the ball up to the forward players. We need to relax a little bit more on the ball. We can defend with more personality and more control. I will be looking to improve the defending, but it will not be the first thing that you automatically go to after that sort of result," the coach commented.
Their opponents on Sunday were undone by a fast start from Chennaiyin FC and even though they pulled a goal back thanks to ISL golden boot winner of last season Nerijus Valskis, Jamshedpur were for the most part outplayed as they succumbed to a 1-2 defeat. And Owen Coyle will look to rectify the errors that popped up throughout their opening match against his former side.
"Jamshedpur FC is a new team effectively," said Coyle. "There has been a whole lot of changes from last year. But, there is no doubt that we will get better as we go on. The harder we work, the more we will improve. We will look to start the game better, try and take control of it. We have to try and win those valuable three points. Because three points can push you five or six places up in the league," Coyle said.
The last time these sides faced each other, Odisha had emerged 2-1 victors.