Welcome to Sportstar’s live coverage of this evening’s Northeast United FC vs Odisha FC Indian Super League (ISL 2021-22) clash being played at the Tilak Maidan Stadium in Goa.

48′ Odisha is enjoying possession at 61 percent at the moment, but no real danger in the opposition box so far in the second half

46′ Better start for OFC, Aridai cuts in from the left, passes it into the box and while the ball is cleared otu of the box, Javi takes control of the ball and goes down. No foul though

46′ Half Time substitution for Odisha FC! In: Jerry, Out: Daniel

Second Half Begins!

Half time!

In spite of Northeast United’s constant attacks, it has failed to score a goal and Odisha Fc and Northeast United go into half time with the scoreline 0-0.

45+2′ Daniel makes a run on the right, but fails to make it count, with his shot eventually stopped

45+1′ Chance! Kamara now takes a shot that is blocked, but is received by Coureur, who makes to take advantage of the opportunity and Odisha FC clings on to a 0-0 scoreline

44′ Save! NEUFC marches on the attack, Coureur passes it to Chhara, who is intercepted at the last moment. The ball that ollows is hit by Brown which is then saved and the follow up is hit again by Suhair. This time, the OFC defenders clear it away

42′ Chance! Suhair gives a great long ball for Brown from the left. Brown receives it, but this time, too, the shot is off target

40′ Miss! Camara gives an aerial pass to Brown, beats Gurjinder and takes a shot with his left foot, but the ball goes well wide

38′ Odisha keeping the ball to themselves through back passes. Viktor Mongil gives away the ball ,but the ball goes out for a throw in

36′ Odisha makes another run to the front. Krasniqi gets blocked, as his late shot had slowed the game down

34′ Save! Krasniqi feeds in a delicious through ball for Javi and as Javi rushes to the ball, Michu gets to it first and clings on to it. Brilliant save.

31′ As the match begins after the cooling break, both sides get back for pursuit of goals, and a win. The two sides have never played a goalless draw previously

28′ Odisha trying to get in its conventional tempo, but NEUFC has all spaces covered. Henry, however, runs along the flanks, cuts in from the right, but his cross is intercepted by Michu

26′ Its a battle of the Spaniards with Javi and Hernan fighting neck-to-neck. Javi’s run is topped by Santana with a soft kick on his ankl. No foul given though

24′ Shot! Camara makes a run from the midfield, drifts to the left and takes a long-ranger shot, but the shot is way off target. Camara can score – he has already shown that in the last game

22′ Free Kick! Daniel brings Sehnaj down and Coureur takes the free kick that follows, passing it to Gurjinder. Gurjinder flies the ball in for Hernan Santana, but his header is a bit wide off the target

20′ Krasniqi tries to penetrate the midfield with a through ball for Javi, but Hernan Santana stops blocks it as another OFC attack comes to nothing

18′ Aridai takes another shot from the left, but it lacks force as Michu catches it easily 

17′ Off the post! Aridai’s free kick rattles the woodwork and is eventually cleared. That ball was travelling

16′ Aridai makes a run on the left, cuts in and gets in a duel with Mashoor and the Spaniard goes down for a foul. Free Kick to Odisha

13′ NEUFC looking like a 4-4-2 at the moment with Coureur and Brown in front. Odisha, meanwhile takes control of the ball and gives a through ball for Javi, but NEUFC tracks back to contain the attack

11′ Hernan and Javier Hernandez get into a duel and Hernan stops his build up on the right

9′ Brown makes a run in the midfield, makes a run on the right and barges into the box, and takes a shot, which was off target, but the OFC defence is already having visible cracks

7′ Another chance! A throw in is headed towards the goal by Suhair, but  that was that in that attack

6′ Chance! Coureur snatches the ball outside the box and takes a shot from outside the box with a right-footed curler, but the ball whizzes off-target

3′ Aridai takes a free kick which is headed away by the Northeast United defence and an aerial ball by Vinit Rai a few seconds later is too much for the wingers as th ball goes out for a goal kick

2′ Offside! Brown runs into the OFC box after a pass from Bora, but the referee raisses his flag. A close call by the referee

7-30 pm: Kick off!

7-25 pm: The players have come out on the on the pitch for a tight contest, with Odisha, in black  starting from left to right and Northeast United FC, in white starting from the other end.

7-07 pm: When the two sides met last time, it was Northeast United which came on top with a 3-1 win, with all the goals coming in the first half.

NEUFC vs OFC HIGHLIGHTS

6-48 pm: Four changes for Odisha FC.

Gaurav Bora, Lindon Krasinsqi, Isaac and Daniel start in place of Victor Rodas, Thoiba Singh, Nandhakumar Sekhar and Isak.

6-33 pm: Confirmed Line-ups:

Odisha FC Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Kamaljit Singh (GK); Hendry Antonay, Gaurav Bora, Victor Mongil, Lalruatthara; Vinit Rai (C), Liridon Krasinsqi, Isaac; Javier Hernandez, Daniel Lalhlimpuia; Aridai Suarez

NorthEast United FC Starting XI (4-3-3): Mirshad Michu (GK), Provat Lakra, Gurjinder Kumar, Khassa Camara, Rochharzela, Hernan Santana (C), Suhair Vadakkepeedika, Mathias Coureur, Deshorn Brown, Sehnaj Singh, Mashoor Shereef.

6-15 pm: Defending champion Mumbai City FC continued to remain on top of the table, but a win for Odisha here will take it on second while NEUFC’s win help it surpass Odisha and climb to fifth on the table.

Here’s the ISL points table in full –

6-00 pm: STAT – The two sides has have met 14 times, with Northeast United losing four times, winning and drawing five times each. Northeast United FC leads the goal tally with 19 goals, while Odisha has 15 goals in 14 games between them.

5-45 pm: Predicted Line-ups: Here is how we think the two sides will line up for tonight’s game.

Odisha FC Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Kamaljit Singh (GK); Hendry Antonay, Hector Rodas, Victor Mongil, Lalruatthara; Vinit Rai (C), Thoiba Singh; Jerry Mawihmingthanga, Javier Hernandez, Nandhakumar Sekar; Aridai Suarez

NorthEast United FC Predicted XI (4-3-3): Subhasish Roy (GK); Provat Lakra, Mashoor Thangalakath, Hernan Santana (C), Gurjinder Kumar; Lalkhawpuimawia, Khassa Camara, Sehnaj Singh; Rochharzela, Deshorn Brown, Suhair Vadakkepeedika.

MATCH PREVIEW: Odisha FC looks to return to winning ways against a hungry Northeast United FC

When Odisha FC takes on Northeast United FC at the Tilak Maidan Stadium in Goa on Friday, a lot will be at stake for both sides in the Indian Super League (ISL 2021-22).

Kiko Ramires’ boys come into the match wounded after a 1-2 loss to Kerala Blasters, its first loss this season. Aridai Cabrera is expected to lead the team’s attack, as the coach confirmed Jonathas is ruled out with an injury.

“He (Jonathas) will not be available for this game and we will have to wait and see when he will join the team,” he told the press.

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Odisha, having scored nine goals in its first two games, will look to return to winning ways with Javier Hernandez weaving his magic in the midfield, while Aridai handles the attack – both of whom are joint second-highest goal scorers in the league so far, with three goals each.

Northeast United, on the other hand, will arrive with a ray of optimism after beating FC Goa 2-1 in its last game. The victory was the Highlanders’ first of the season. While the team will miss its midfield talisman Federico Gallego, Khalid Jamil looks to have found a way around it, managing the win without him the last time.

The NEUFC coach clarified that the entire squad will be available for selection, except Gallego.  “They (Odisha FC) have started well, they are a good team and we have to have to be alert and not take this match lightly. We have to play our natural game,” Khalid told the press on Thursday.

A win here for Northeast United can take it, not just over Odisha on the table, but also into the top four if it prevails with a margin of more than two goals. A victory for Odisha will propel it right on top of the table level on points with defending champion Mumbai City FC.

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