Jamshedpur FC Aim for a Strong Finish Against Odisha FC in Penultimate League Clash:

Although Jamshedpur FC is no longer competing for the second place position of the Indian Super League, they are still determined to finish strongly as they take on Odisha FC in their second–to–last game at the JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur on Wednesday.

At this moment, they sit fourth with 38 points from 22 matches played, which is not terrible, but their form has been quite patchy during this crucial sprint of the league. In the last five games, they have won two, lost two and drawn one against Kerala Blasters.

Because of this, Khalid Jamil, their coach, has decided that the only thing to be achieved now is something tangible and intends to deliver a solid performance against Odisha, who, very improbably, still have a chance of clinching a playoffs berth.

“We need to concentrate on our performance and step up from the last game. This is our last match in front of the home fans before the playoffs and we want to leave them with a reason to be happy,” he remarked.

Jamil is also looking forward to giving more minutes to player Ritwik Das, who made his return from a lengthy injury hiatus last month. “I have had conversations with him about his importance to the squad. He needs to be available for every minute of every single game and I trust him for that,” he explained further.

For his part, JFC goalie Albino Gomes, who has had a difficult season conceding seven goals in five matches, has proven to be a dependable goalkeeper with a league-leading 83 saves to his credit so far this season.

With star forwards like Diego Mauricio - against whom they have scored seven goals - making sure the team gets their required win, Wednesday is going to be tough for him as muppets want nothing less than a loss.

All the same, Odisha have failed to score in the last two outings, and as Lobera readily acknowledges, he has to admit the season is nearly done but is far from resigned.

With everything we have faced so far, we really need to be realistic. We're fighting an uphill battle and winning will feel like a miracle. “Of course, we have to bank on other matches too but don’t write us off just yet,” said Lobera. As for Odisha, they have not called it quits while JFC are on the hunt for a good finishing position so people in the Furnace can expect to see a blockbuster match.