Hamill to Miss Crucial Clash Against Odisha

Sayak Bandyopadhyay / 23-02-2024

Antonio Lopez Habas’s team faces Odisha FC in a crucial away match at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. Although Coach Habas had given a fit certificate to their reliable defender Hamill just a day ago, the player himself expressed uncertainty about his ability to play. This uncertainty became reality as the team traveled to Bhubaneswar without Hamill. Despite his absence, Habas remains focused on securing a victory against Odisha, knowing that a win today would catapult them to the top of the league table.

Although Odisha was thrashed 4-0 by Habas’s men in the AFC Cup, they suffered a 5-2 home defeat that dashed their knockout stage hopes. Much has changed since then. After three consecutive losses in the ISL, Coach Ferrando was replaced by Habas, one of the most successful coaches in ISL history. The AFC Cup is now a distant memory for Bagan, whose primary goal is to reach the top of the ISL league table. Will today’s match be a grudge match? Both Coach Habas and Dimitri Petratos have stated otherwise, emphasizing a match-by-match approach. Petratos echoed Habas’s sentiment, expressing his determination to win this match to climb to the top of the league. Meanwhile, Sahal Abdul Samad acknowledged the match’s difficulty, understanding that a win would open the door to the League Shield. The Mohun Bagan team arrived in Bhubaneswar on Friday morning and trained in the evening to acclimatize to match conditions under Coach Habas’s guidance.

Odisha FC will be without their midfield maestro Ahmed Jahouh due to card issues. In the pre-match press conference, Odisha FC coach Sergio Lobera announced that Sai Gordon will replace Jahouh. Lobera emphasized that Gordon has a chance to become a hero in today’s crucial encounter.