East Bengal vs FC Goa Prediction: East Bengal will be looking to change the direction of the season after a much-needed international break

East Bengal will welcome FC Goa in Gameweek 4 of the Indian Super League at Kalinga Stadium. East Bengal will be looking to change the direction of the season after a much-needed international break. Who will win? 

East Bengal began their campaign on their home turf against a seemingly less formidable opponent in Jamshedpur. However, they were unable to take advantage of their opponent's vulnerabilities. Consequently, the Torchbearers were held to a 0-0 draw due to numerous missed opportunities.

In their second match against Hyderabad, Carles Cuadrat's team staged a remarkable comeback. Thanks to Cleiton Silva's two goals, they secured a 2-1 victory over the Nizams. Nevertheless, all of their progress was undone in their last match against Bengaluru, where they suffered a 1-2 loss, once again plagued by missed opportunities.

After their initial loss to Bengaluru, it would be reasonable for Cuadrat to contemplate several changes in his team to prevent a consecutive defeat.

Nishu Kumar displayed uncertainty in the match against the Blues, and considering that Goa possesses an in-form and highly dangerous Sadaoui on their left wing, Cuadrat may consider introducing more experience by shifting Harmanjot Singh Khabra back to the right-back position.

Furthermore, central defender Jose Antonio Pardo's performance was less than convincing. In his place, the newly acquired Jordanian talent, Hijazi Maher, could be granted his debut. Additionally, when Khabra returns to the defensive line, Souvik Chakraborty could fill the vacant midfield position.

Prabhsukhan Gill; Harmanjot Singh Khabra, Lalchungnunga, Hijazi Maher, Mandar Rao Dessai; Saul Crespo, Souvik Chakraborty, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Borja Herrera, Nandhakumar Sekar; Cleiton Silva. 

Goa's initial match against Hyderabad was rescheduled due to the Indian team's participation in the Asian Games. In their subsequent game, they emerged victorious against the recently promoted Punjab, securing a 1-0 win. The lone goal in that match was scored by Spanish striker Carlos Martinez.

Their second encounter was an exciting face-off against the formidable Odisha team. Despite the thrilling nature of the game, Roca's squad managed to prevail over their former coach Sergio Lobera's side, claiming a 3-2 victory. Noah Sadaoui netted two goals, with the third goal credited to the young left-back, Jay Gupta. 

Even though Roca's squad secured victory in their recent match against Odisha, there were moments of vulnerability that may prompt alterations in the Goa starting lineup.

While the defensive line might remain unchanged, the pairing of Raynier Fernandes and Carl McHugh in the double pivot did not yield the desired results against the Kalinga Warriors. Consequently, Raynier might be substituted with Rowllin Borges. In addition, Victor Rodriguez, a former Elche and Getafe attacker, could be given a starting position in lieu of Martinez, who did not perform at his best in the previous game.

Arshdeep Singh; Seriton Fernandes, Odei Onaindia, Sandesh Jhingan, Jay Gupta; Rowllin Borges, Carl McHugh; Udanta Singh, Brandon Fernandes, Noah Sadaoui; Victor Rodriguez.

Despite their current standing not reflecting East Bengal's season accurately – as they had opportunities to win against both Bengaluru and Jamshedpur had they been more clinical – the Torchbearers will enter this match as the underdogs.

Goa, on the other hand, will carry a boost in confidence after securing a last-minute victory over Odisha. Their historical head-to-head advantage over East Bengal will provide an additional psychological edge. Furthermore, East Bengal will not benefit from their usual strong fan support, as the crowd in Bhubaneswar is expected to be fairly represented by both sides, depriving them of their 12th man in the form of fervent fans cheering for the team.
We expect Goa to win with over 2.5 goals in the game.