Rejuvenated East Bengal FC aim to continue winning momentum against Odisha FC

After registering their second Hero Indian Super League 2022/23 victory last week against Bengaluru FC, East Bengal FC will look to continue the winning momentum when they face Odisha FC on November 18 (Friday) at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium.
The Red & Gold Brigade created chances aplenty and were solid at the back against BFC. The all-round performance helped them earn their maiden clean-sheet this season. They currently stand eighth on the table with six points from as many games.
Josep Gombau’s Odisha FC, meanwhile, suffered a 0-1 defeat against reigning Hero Indian Super League (ISL) champions Hyderabad FC in their previous game.
While the EBFC defenders combined to thwart the BFC attackers throughout the game, EBFC’s attackers kept piling pressure on the Blues’ defence.
Although the Red and Gold Brigade’s possession was 42% at the end of the game, the counter-attacking philosophy of Stephen Constantine paid rich dividends as Cleiton Silva broke the deadlock in the 69th minute. Silva’s goal was possible because of a beautiful assist from Naorem Mahesh Singh.
In four Hero ISL encounters between the two sides, Odisha FC have won 3 games, while the Red & Gold Brigade have registered a solitary win. An astonishing 28 goals have been scored between the two sides.
Speaking to the media on the eve of the match, EBFC Head Coach Stephen Constantine said, “Odisha are a good side. We’ve watched them and are preparing for them. I hope it’s a clean-sheet and that we win.”
Defender Ivan Gonzalez, who put up a brilliant shift against BFC with 4 interceptions and 5 clearances said, “”We don’t face teams thinking who has scored how many goals. What we do is important. We try to press high and not make too many mistakes. We need to take our chances.”