Odisha FC will be hosting Jamshepdur FC at the Kalinga Stadium as they look to finish the league phase on a high note and take that form into the playoffs. It is more or less confirmed that the Kalinga warriors will be heading into their first ever playoffs in their club’s history and to achieve that feat they need a single point from this match.
However head coach Josep Gombau is not ready to take any game lightly as he motivates his players to focus on the upcoming game. Both the teams are coming to this game with wins so it won’t be a cakewalk for the Kalinga Warriors.
Jamshedpur FC will also be eager to do well as they will be aiming to finish the ISL season with three wins out of the last four matches. So Gombau does not want to think about anything but a win as he wants to end the season on a high with three points in front of the home fans.
“Wednesday is a very important game. Throughout the season our approach has been game-by-game. It’s a game where if we get a good result then we can qualify for the playoffs. Our aim is to play the last game of the season at home and get the three points and after that, we’ll see what happens with the other results over the weekend,” Gombau stated in the pre match press conference.
The last time both these teams met it was a 3-2 comeback win for Odisha FC as they showed great determination and grit to win the game against Jamshedpur FC. However Gombau feels that everyday day is different and the teams will again have a clean slate in front of them so they will have to be at their best to do the double over their opponents this season.
“Every game is different and I hope that we don’t have that (the reverse fixture) kind of game. We were two goals down in the first 10 minutes and made a comeback in injury time to win the match. We need to start the game strongly and we need to show that we’re the team that needs to win because for us the win is very important and I expect we go for the game from the first minute. Every single game is different but with this hunger and concentration, we need to get the result on Wednesday in front of our fans,” the Spaniard highlighted.
While the players and the coach are focusing on their last league stage game against Jamshedpur FC, the team management are busy doing their work in extending player contracts. They have already extended team captain and veteran defender Carlos Delgado’s contract and will be hoping that the Spaniard guides them to different heights in the upcoming future. Gombau was also very happy with the extension as Delgado has been a very vital player for the team and a great presence in the backline and also in the dressing room. Also Gombau felt that it is necessary for some core players to stay as the club is looking to aim for greater heights in the upcoming season.
“It’s very good news, Carlos (Delgado) is our captain, he’s a person who deserves this contract. He’s committed to the team and it’s also good for the team to have this continuity of having the same players from one year to the next year, to build this project. Carlos has been our key player this season and it’ll help us a lot,” Gombau concluded.
Odisha FC are currently in sixth position with 30 points and will face Jamshedpur FC next whereas seventh placed FC Goa have 27 points and will face Bengaluru FC in their last league clash. While the Kalinga warriors only need a point to qualify, the Gaurs will have to hope that the Men of Steel spark a surprise and they also win against the in-form Bengaluru FC to make it to the last six.
