ISL: Odisha FC look to maintain top spot as they take on Chennaiyin

It is a clash of contrasting forms, between a team that has not been defeated in the competition since October and a side that has lost four out of its last five matches.

Chennaiyin FC hosts table toppers Odisha FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the Indian Super League (ISL) on Sunday. It is a clash of contrasting forms, between a team that has not been defeated in the competition since October and a side that has lost four out of its last five matches.

The Juggernauts are on the move constantly, facing tough tussles from Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Mumbai City FC who are sniffing down their necks. With 35 points from 17 games, Odisha FC is just two ahead of the Mariners (33), who have played a match fewer (16). The Islanders are not far off either (32 points from 16), and Odisha FC needs to sideline whatever competition it faces to ensure the team does not have to play catch-up later on in the campaign.

The Marina Machans were well placed to contest for the playoff positions at the mid-season break. However, with 15 points from 16 games, things don't seem all rosy for them at the moment. They are five behind the sixth-placed Jamshedpur FC (20), who have played two additional matches (18). Whilst the distance is within bridging limits, it needs an urgent turnaround of form at all costs. Chennaiyin FC had their three-match-long unbeaten streak at home broken by Mumbai City FC last week. The last time they lost consecutive games were defeats to FC Goa (0-2) and Mumbai City FC (2-6) from October to November 2022, which is a run that the team will be cautious of avoiding in the forthcoming fixture. It has certainly not been a desirable season for the Marina Machans though.

Their 15 points from 16 matches is the second least tally they have accumulated at this stage of any ISL season, only after the eight they had garnered in 2018-19. In fact, the nine losses that they have suffered are also the second-highest after 16 matches in any campaign, after the 12 they had faced at this phase in 2018-19. Odisha FC has not tasted defeat in any of its last four fixtures against Chennaiyin FC, having won and drawn twice each in the time being. If they take at least a point on Sunday, then it will equal their second-longest such run against any team in the competition (NorthEast United FC - 5).

They are well-placed to do so though, remaining unbeaten in their last 13 ISL fixtures, winning a whopping nine times amongst those games. In fact, this unbeaten streak is over three times than their second-best record of four games in this regard. "We know we are at our best when we play at home. It's unfortunate that we lost here to Mumbai City FC, but we had some good aspects of our game play, which we need to look at," Chennaiyin FC Head Coach Owen Coyle quipped ahead of the match as quoted by ISL.

"Every game is very important for us. We got a big win in the last match. We got three very important points. Chennaiyin FC is a difficult team to beat, it's not easy to beat them, we have to compete against everything and prepare for the game accordingly," Odisha FC Head Coach Sergio Lobera said in the pre-match press conference. (ANI)

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