ISL 2015: Three reasons why Goa will defeat Kolkata tonight

Prediction

Atletico de Kolkata 1–2 FC Goa

1. Goa's terrific attack to terrorize Kolkata's defence

Statistically, Goa have the best attack in the league and Zico's men have scored 20 goals in their 10 matches so far. The Gaurs decimated Mumbai 7-0 in their last game, to grab the biggest win in the history of ISL.

Dudu Omagbemi and Thongkhosiem Haokip grabbed a hat-trick each, and on paper they were not even Goa's first choice strikers in the squad. Reinaldo came off the bench to score their seventh goal, and Zico still had Rafael Coelho in his armory. The depth in Goa's attack is the best in the league.

This in-form strike force will face a Kolkata team, which is the only club in the league to have not kept a clean sheet so far this season.

2. Zico has struck gold with the 3-5-2 formation

Zico switched to a more adventurous 3-5-2 formation and it has worked well for the Gaurs. The change arrived after the 2-0 defeat against Mumbai last month and since then they have remained unbeaten in their last four matches, which includes their demolition job at Mumbai in thelast match.

The return of Lucio has provided them the steel they were missing at the back, while the arrival of Dudu Omagbemi and Rafael Coelho has boosted their attack. Playing in a five-man midfield has allowed Leo Moura more freedom, time and space on the ball, and in the last game it also brought the best out of Jofre.

Goa will outnumber Kolkata at the center of the park, and its wing-backs will trouble Kolkata's full-backs outwide.

3. Leo Moura v Borja Fernandes

Apart from Chennaiyin's Elano, no other playmaker has had an impact on the league like Leo Moura. The Brazilian has been the orchestrator of everything good that has happened in the final third for Goa, and has racked up five assists, along with two goals, in his 10 appearances so far. While Haokip and Dudu grabbed all the headlines against Mumbai, Moura slipped quietly into the night having torn apart Mumbai defence with surgical precision throughout– Goa's wizard has completed the most number of the passes (531) in the league after Chennaiyin's Raphael Augusto.

Kolkata's holding midfielder, Borja Fernandez, will have the job to 'handle' Moura in tonight's game. The Spaniard will receive specific instructions from Antonio Habas to deny the Brazilian time and space on the ball. But the 34-year-old, a crucial player in their title winning campaign, has not been at his best this season. He has given away too many needless fouls and his passing has not been up to his usual. Moura is likely to win this battle, which will have a massive impact on the war, tonight.