East Bengal FC Eyes Home Support Advantage Against Odisha FC

East Bengal FC's head coach Oscar Bruzon stresses the importance of fan support as they face Odisha FC, amidst player injuries, hoping to extend their unbeaten streak in the challenging ISL 2024-25 season. Bruzon believes a strong home crowd could turn Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan into a fortress.

East Bengal FC head coach Oscar Bruzon is rallying the team's home support ahead of their pivotal match against Odisha FC on Thursday, as reported by the Indian Super League's official website. Despite a tough start to the 2024-25 ISL season, Bruzon's leadership has seen the Red and Gold Brigade remain unbeaten in their last three matches, securing victories over NorthEast United FC and Chennaiyin FC, alongside a stalemate against Mohammedan Sporting Club.

The Kolkata giants have demonstrated defensive robustness, achieving three consecutive clean sheets in this period, thanks to standout performances by goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill and star defender Anwar Ali. Nevertheless, East Bengal faces a formidable challenge against Odisha FC, who are on a four-game unbeaten streak and lead the league in scoring, with a notable average of 2.09 goals per game under Sergio Lobera.

Faced with the added challenge of missing key players, including captain Saul Crespo and Greek forward Dimitrios Diamantakos due to injuries, Bruzon remains hopeful. Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Bruzon refrained from naming absentees but highlighted that up to five starting players might be unavailable. Despite these hurdles, he is optimistic and urges fans to provide vociferous support at the stadium to bolster the team's performance.

He emphasized the crucial role of fan energy in empowering the team, aiming to transform the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan into an intimidating fortress for opponents. Encouraging increased fan turnout, Bruzon remarked on the power of collective support and expressed his ambition to see more fans attending future matches, envisioning growth from 12,000 to 16,000, and possibly reaching up to 25,000.

(With inputs from agencies.)