ISL 2021-22: 10 things to know about Goa vs Hyderabad

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Bengaluru, December 17: Back in form after a terrible start, FC Goa will look to extend their winning run when they take on Hyderabad FC in their Indian Super League (ISL) 2021-22 season clash on Saturday (December 18).

The Gaurs snapped a three-game losing sequence by first defeating SC East Bengal 4-3 verdict and then following it up with a 2-1 win over Bengaluru FC.

Placed eighth in the ISL 2021-22 points table, the Juan Ferrando-coached outfit will look to climb up the ladder, but sans the services of key man Jorge Ortiz, it will not be easy.

ISL RESULTS | POINTS TABLE | FIXTURES

Ortiz picked up his first-ever red card in ISL in Goa's last match and will be unavailable for selection in the upcoming match as a result of it.

Ferrando though denied his side would feel the absence of Ortiz.

"For me, what's most important is the players who're playing focus on the 90 minutes. Injuries and in this case the red card for Jorge isn't so important because it's a distraction for the team," Ferrando said.

Hyderabad, meanwhile, will come into the game full of confidence after their massive 5-1 drubbing of NorthEast United FC. It was only the second time they had scored five goals in a match in their ISL history.

Bartholomew Ogbeche has been in top for Manolo Marquez's wards, netting five goals so far. The likes of Akash Mishra, Asish Rai and Chinglensana Singh have also been in fine fettle, adding solidity to the defence.

Hyderabad have looked like a balanced team this season with Javier Siverio and Joel Chianese helping Ogbeche up front and adding to Maneul Marquez's options. Young Rohit Danu has also been in fine touch, underlining the team's camaraderie on the pitch.

"Goa are an interesting team. They play a style of football that I like. They're similar to Mumbai City but for me, Mumbai are one step ahead of everyone. Tomorrow, it'll be a difficult game for us, but it'll be difficult for Goa too," Marquez said in awe of the the opposition.

Hyderabad though have failed to win any of their four matches against the Gaurs. Three of those four matches have been losses.

Ahead of the match, with FC Goa Media inputs, myKhel.com looks at 10 factors that could decide the outcome of what promises to be a Saturday-night thriller.

1. FC Goa are yet to experience a defeat at the hands of Hyderabad FC.

2. No team is flagged for off-sides as much as FC Goa. The Gaurs are have been flagged offside an average of 2.4 times per game.

3. No one has suffered more fouls per 90 minutes than Ortiz. The Spaniard has been fouled on average 4.1 times per 90 minutes during this season's ISL games.

4. No other team has conceded more goals from outside the box Goa (5) with Hyderabad yet to concede a strike from long distance.

5. Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem, despite his inconsistent start to the season, leads the league in 'supersaves' with 6 to his name.

6. Goa is joint top when it comes to conceding from set-pieces. The Gaurs have conceded seven of their 12 goals from set-pieces, the same as SC East Bengal. Hyderabad, on the other hand, have conceded thrice.

7. Hyderabad have enjoyed supremacy when it comes to aerial duels. The Nizams lead the league when it comes to percentage of aerial challenges won at 55.

8. Hyderabad leads the league in interceptions at 56 per match with 14 of them coming inside the opposition's half.

9. After winning the ISL Winning Pass of the League last season for his league-leading eight assists, Alberto Noguera has had another impressive start to the campaign. His two goals and an assist are accompanied by some silky dribbling skills with the Spaniard successfully completing 76 per cent of his dribbles.

10. If the Gaurs are to get the better of Hyderabad on Saturday night, they need to neutralise their lynchpin in the middle of the park, Joao Victor. The Brazilian midfielder wins 63 per cent of the challenges he goes into with an astonishing 71 per cent success when it comes to aerial duels. He also leads the team in ball recoveries, interceptions and free ball pickups.

The match at the Bambolim Athletic Stadium in Goa is part of the weekend double header and hence will kick off at 9.30pm IST.

All the live action will be available on Star Sports Network channels and Hotstar.