ISL 2020-21 Live, ATKMB vs OFC LIVE Score: Mohun Bagan takes on Odisha FC

This is Sportstar's live blog of the 2020-21 ISL match between ATK Mohun Bagan and Odisha FC in Goa.

LIVE UPDATES:

6:30 PM: The team line-ups are out!

ATKMB XI: Arindam Bhattacharja, Sandesh Jhingan, Subhasish Bose, Pritam Kotal, Prabir Das, Tiri, Carl McHugh, Jayesh Rane, Javier Hernandez, Manvir Singh, Roy Krishna.

OFC XI: Kamaljit Singh, Hendry Antonay, Cole Alexander, Marcelo Pereira, Diego Mauricio, Gaurav Bora, Shubham Sarangi, Jacob, Nandhakumar Sekar, Steven Taylor, Laishram Singh.

6:15 PM: Odisha FC is featuring in its second ISL season, while the newly-formed ATK Mohun Bagan unit is playing its first edition. Here are the players to watch out for and other important stats to know ahead of today's fixture. (FULL STORY)

6:00 PM: Odisha is winless in the season so far after losing its opening match 1-0 against Hyderabad FC and holding Jamshedpur FC to a 2-2 draw. ATKMB might field a changed XI as Habas has been trying to figure out who among David Williams and Edu Garcia can partner Roy Krishna better upfront. Here's how the two teams could line-up. (READ MORE)

5:45 PM: How did the teams fare in Gameweek 1 of ISL-7? Shyam Vasudevan and Aashin Prasad review the first round of fixtures on the 'Full Time Show'

ISL 2020-21 points table

Follow Sportstar's full coverage (Latest news, Interviews, Features, Points table, Quiz, Videos) of ISL 2020-21 here. Click here

The Indian Super League (ISL 2020-21) will mark the return of major league competition in India after the nationwide lockdown to prevent the COVID-19 outbreak was first imposed in March.

The seventh edition of the ISL got underway inside a bio-bubble in Goa on November 20.

The tournament, spanning over four months, will see 11 teams play each other in a league and playoff format across three venues. Following SC East Bengal's inclusion, this season will feature 115 games, up from 95 last season.

MATCH PREVIEW:

ATK Mohun Bagan will be looking to utilise the confidence of winning two successive matches at the start when it takes on Odisha FC at the Fatorda Stadium on Thursday.

The ATK Mohun Bagan side, which preserves a big majority of the squad that lifted the ISL crown under coach Antonio Habas last season, seemed to have brought forward the cohesiveness and form that helped it triumph. This was evident in the way it got the better of Kerala Blasters in the first match and then went on to win the battle of nerves easily against traditional rival East Bengal. A third straight win will see ATKMB rising to the top again.

In contrast, Odisha FC is winless and is currently situated at the bottom half of the standings with just one point from two games. Odisha FC came from behind to secure its first point of the campaign against Jamshedpur FC but Stuart Baxter’s side needs to tidy up its defence which has been vulnerable at times.

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Roy Krishna, the top scorer for ATK last season, struck from the start and has already scored once in both the outings of the side. The Kolkata giant, which has got all its three goals so far from open play, will once again be looking to use its robust offensive against its new opponent. Aware of the might of his opponent, Baxter spoke about keeping things tight at the back.

“You respect them because they have good and experienced players. While throwing players forward, we have to be aware of the fact they get into the game quickly when we are spread out. We have to make sure we are aware of that and make it difficult for them. More than that, it's going to be up to the players on the day to make sure we take away the spaces they want and we defend well one-versus-one,” Baxter said. Odisha FC will have to be sharp at the front too as it is against a side that has kept clean sheets in both its outings.

ATK Mohun Bagan has some injury problems with Michael Soosairaj virtually out of the tournament and Spanish attacking-midfielder Edu Garcia also nursing an injury. “Edu Garcia has some injury problems and hopefully he will recover in three-four days. We are confident as a professional squad and we have a plan and will go to the field with that,” said Habas before the match.

- THE SQUADS -

ATK MOHUN BAGAN FC: Arindam Bhattacharja, Dheeraj Singh, Arsh Shaikh, Aryan Niraj Lamba, Avilash Paul, Tiri, Sandesh Jhingan, Prabir Das, Pritam Kotal, Subhasish Bose, Sumit Rathi, Boris Singh Thangjam, Edu Garcia, Javier Hernandez, Carl McHugh, Glan Martins, Michael Soosairaj, Jayesh Rane, Pronay Halder, Bradden Inman, Michael Regin, Sahil Sheikh, Ningombam Engson Singh, Md. Fardin Ali Molla, Roy Krishna, David Williams, Manvir Singh

ODISHA FC: Kamaljit Singh, Ravi Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Ankit Bhuyan, Steven Taylor, Jacob Tratt, Shubham Sarangi, Gaurav Bora, Hendry Antonay, Kamalpreet Singh, George D'Souza, Mohammad Dhot, Saurabh Meher, Cole Alexander, Nandhakumar Sekar, Paul Ramfangzauva, Samuel Lalmuanpuia, Vinit Rai, Thoiba Singh, Isak Vanlalruatfela, Jerry Mawihmingthana, Boaringdao Bodo, Lahrezuala Sailung, Marcelo Pereira, Manuel Onwu, Daniel Lalhlimpuia, Diego Mauricio, Laishram Singh.