PANJIM: FC Goa will play hosts to Jamshedpur FC in the final fixture of the seventh match week of the Indian Super League at the Fatorda Stadium, on Monday.
FC Goa roping in Manolo Marquez to inspire a turnaround from their disappointing form last year can be classified as a masterstroke till now. Taking his legacy forward in the league, the Spaniard has emerged as one of the most tactically sound coaches in the season, and he didn’t take much time to get his players playing his way with the Gaurs.
After five matches, Marquez and his men have accumulated 13 points with the help of four victories and a draw. They have scored the third-most (9) goals and conceded the least of them (3) amongst all teams so far. However, it is the collectiveness with which they have gone about their work that really raises eyebrows.
Despite being as flawless as possible, it is difficult to single out a standout individual in their side, which speaks volumes of how the whole squad has gelled in synergy to produce optimum results. Hosting the Red Miners, the Gaurs will be ready to pounce upon this opportunity of bagging three points in familiar surroundings against an outfit still finding its feet in the league.
FC Goa have an opportunity to get level on points with Kerala Blasters FC (16) and displace them from the top of the table with a game in hand if they win this match. Their only challenge will be to ward off any rustiness after the international break; otherwise they appear to be well placed to make another home game count in their favour.
FC Goa Head Coach Manolo Marquez expressed his optimism about the upcoming game. “It’s very early (to say where FC Goa will finish their league campaign, in terms of points or position on the points’ table), because even the table is not balanced - some teams have played only four games and we have played five so far, while some others have completed seven matches.”
“Right now, we’re focused on Jamshedpur FC alone. If you look at their numbers, you’ll know that while they haven’t scored very often, they haven’t conceded many, either. They conceded three goals in their most recent match, but otherwise, it’s never been more than once,” Marquez said.
“Jamshedpur are very good tactically, and it’s very difficult to enter their defensive third. But we’ll have 90-100 minutes to try and win this game, so let’s see,” the tactician said.