ISL 2022-23: FC Goa vs Bengaluru FC - 3 player battles to look forward to
Bengaluru FC make a short journey to Goa to take on Carlos Pena's side in an early kick-off at the Fatorda Stadium on Saturday, November 26. The Gaurs recently humbled ATK Mohun Bagan 3-0 in their home backyard, while the Blues have failed to bag a point since October 14 by losing four straight games under the guidance of Simon Grayson.
The hosts will be desperate to register their fifth victory of the 2022/23 Indian Super League campaign to keep up with the likes of Mumbai City FC, Hyderabad FC, and Odisha FC. On the other hand, things have not been extremely bleak for Bengaluru FC since their decision to join the Indian top-flight league in 2017. Any result apart from a defeat would be a positive for the one-time ISL champions.
Bengaluru FC possesses star-studded names despite making a deplorable start to the league campaign. FC Goa have a mixture of youth and experienced campaigners in their squad and are capable of causing damage to their opponents on Saturday.
We shall look at some of the battles that could prove to be intriguing.
#3 Edu Bedia vs Javi Hernandez
Skipper Edu Bedia, who sits at the heart of the midfield, has made a strong start to the season. The Spaniard is not only capable of putting an end to opponent's attack, but is capable of initiating an attack for his side too. Besides, Edu's set-pieces have also already troubled the opposition a lot in the early days.
Javi Hernandez, on the other hand, has struggled for form. The former Odisha FC attacking midfielder has zero goals and one assist from 312 minutes of Indian Super League football. His failure to link-up with Sunil Chhetri and Roy Krishna has made goals hard to come by, for the Blues.
#2 Marc Valiente vs Roy Krishna
Carlos Pena has always preferred Marc Valiente despite possessing Fares Arnaout, who's regarded as one of the best in business as well. Valiente has demonstrated his first-rate qualities as a defender by successfully strangulating opposition attackers this season, having started four games. He possesses aerial threat from set-pieces as well.
It is not too often that Roy Krishna goes through a drought. The Fiji attacker has the quality to get the better of Valiente and hit the back of the net after scoring his previous goal against Chennaiyin FC more than a month ago. If Simon Grayson adopts an attacking suitability for Krishna, Bengaluru will finally start scoring goals.
#1 Brandon Fernandes vs Bruno Ramires
Brandon Fernandes has not enjoyed a great start to the season, but already has a two-goal contribution to his name. The Indian international has been mixing up his positing in the starting 11 with Iker Guarraotxena by playing as a number ten or as a right winger. He can cause serious damage to Bengaluru FC if left unmarked.
Bruno Ramires has blown cold and hot this season. The Brazilian has arguably been one of the best performers for Bengaluru FC this campaign, but has been shaky on a few occasions. His ability to disrupt opponent's attack could prove to be crucial during attacking transitions for FC Goa.