Josep Gombau - Manuel Onwu can shine at Odisha FC

After a disappointing defeat in Bengaluru, Odisha FC will hope to return to winning ways when they take FC Goa at the Kalinga Stadium on Wednesday.

Odisha will miss the services of key players such as defender Shubham Sarangi, Carlos Delgado and star striker Aridane Santana who has left the club due to an injury. But head coach Josep Gombau remained confident about doing a good job

"It is true for this game we miss a total of five players but I think we are approaching the game well. We have a lot of players, players who have been working very hard throughout the year and have waited for an opportunity. I feel that they will do very well, we will play a competitive game and I am quite confident everybody will do their job."

Odisha are fighting for a place in the play-offs. They have four games left in the season and Gombau wants to approach match-by-match.

"We have four games to go. We want to approach game by game. Our aim is to win as many games as possible. Playing at home is an advantage for us."

The Spaniard was all praise for opponents FC Goa. "Goa is a top team, one of the best teams in the league. We know very well how they play. Every single game we play, we have our own style. But also depending on the opponents we change a few things. We have practised this week and I think the boys are ready."

Gombau rued the absence of Aridane Santana for the rest of the season but suggested that they have a good replacement in Manuel Onwu, who joined the club from Bengaluru FC on loan.

"We lost Aridane (Santana). Aridane has been amazing for us throughout the season. He is a player that brings a lot to the team. Not just because he scored a lot of goals but what he brings in terms of football. For us, it is a big miss. As a coach, I am very grateful for the job he did at Odisha FC. But we need to move on. We have these four games in front of us and we have to try to win.

"We had to replace him with a striker, it was better to bring a striker who is already in the league. Manuel Onwu is a player we know well. He has a lot of experience in La Liga. He is a player who fits very well in our style. It is true in Bengaluru this year he didn't score any goal and it has been a difficult time for him but sometimes when you change clubs the situation totally changes for you. I think he is a player who will bring a lot to us. We are happy to have him here."