Indian Super League will return to Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar after two years when Odisha FC take on Kerala Blasters on Sunday.
With both teams having lost their previous fixtures respectively, the ninth-placed hosts as well their eighth-placed opponents on the day would be eager to register their first win of the campaign. Both teams have three points each, thanks to their victory in their respective opening encounter of the current campaign.
Sunday's fixture will be the first of two back-to-back games that the Juggernauts will be playing at home and they would hope to continue their impressive show against in front of their fans over seasons. They have played six matches at Kalinga Stadium, winning four and losing just one.
However, although they have scored 11 times in the six meetings that they have had with the Blasters so far, Odisha FC have won just once while sharing honours with their rivals on three occasions.
With their in-form striker Diego Mauricio, who has already struck for Odisha this season, enjoying a good record against Blasters - five goals in three of the games they have played - it can be good news for the hosts who better their club record against the Kerala side.
"We are happy to be back home, playing at Kalinga Stadium again. We have good memories here and all the players are excited to perform well tomorrow (Sunday)," Odisha head coach Josep Gombau said on Saturday.
However, their defence will have to be prepared to counter the attacking style of play that Blasters have exhibited so far, even in their 5-2 defeat to ATK Mohun Bagan in the last game.
"That's the way how we like to play, the way of attacking football, this is the way we want to enjoy. This is the way we want to see these boys play because we see them enjoying playing like that and want to continue like that," Blasters coach Ivan Vukomanovic said on Saturday.
"Everybody is available for tomorrow (Sunday). Everybody is healthy. We're here with a full squad, so anybody can play. Today (Saturday), we have one more session to see, of course," added the Serbian.
Vukomanovic also was optimistic on the possibility of Victor Mongil, who plied his trade for Odisha last term, starting against his former employers on Sunday. The visitors have also given starts to four of their seven summer recruits, with Bryce Miranda and Saurav Mandal still waiting for their chance.
The Juggernauts, on the other hand, will be eager to turn things around in front of the home support after losing their last encounter against Mumbai City. As Gambau put it at the pre-match interaction, "We hope fans come in numbers to see the game and I hope we start with a win at home."
