ATK and FC Goa battle it out in the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) on Saturday, and an opportunity presents itself to the Gaurs to put some Space between them and the Kolkata outfit at the league table.
The Men in Orange mind into this game on the back of a comfortable victory over NorthEast United, and have reason to believe that a similar result could come against ATK too.
The last time the two sides met, FC Goa came out on top, but this time around, expect some one-on-one clashes to dominate proceedings.
Bearing this in mind, here are three such key battles that could influence the outcome of this contest.
Mourtada Fall vs Roy Krishna
The last time FC Goa played ATK, it turned out to be a memorable night for Mourtada Fall. The central defender grabbed the opening goal of the game, but definitely, his defensive prowess will be of more significance as he takes the field this time.
Fall will need to be at his very best however as he comes up against one of the most prolific strikers in the ISL this season in Roy Krishna.
Krishna is tied with Coro at eight goals this year, and his tricky movement will keep Fall on his feet for the most part.
That being said, the big man from Senegal is seldom fazed, and will surely be licking his lips at the prospect of carrying on Krishna on Saturday.
Seriton Fernandes vs Michael Soosairaj
The flanks could see an intriguing conflict as FC Goa face off against ATK with two top Indian players place to go at it.
Seriton Fernandes has featured in every game this year for the Gaurs, and Michael Soosairaj has done the exact same for ATK, proving their significance to their respective teams.
Rest assured, Seriton will have his work cut out for him against the threat of Soosairaj, but if recent matches are anything to go by, we have significant reason to believe that the 27-year-old will be prepared for whatever is thrown at him.
Coro vs Agus
Prepare for a battle of the Spaniards as the two sides meet at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.
Ferran Corominas matches Agustin Iniguez and this has the makings of an exciting clash for fans of the ISL.
Coro has eight goals this campaign and unsurprisingly finds himself competing at the peak of the scoring charts, but Agus is very likely to be charged with maintaining his compatriot in check when the game begins.
Coro’s class is undeniable, but Agus is going to have a strategy, and as fans, we can only look ahead to what this key battle brings to the table.
