Jorge Ortiz will lead the FC Goa attack in the absence of Igor Angulo.
Photo Credits: FC Goa
PANAJI
FC Goa have left out Indian Super League (ISL) golden boot winner Igor Angulo and creative midfielder Alberto Noguera from their squad for the upcoming AFC Champions League campaign.
The ISL side on Thursday announced a 28-member squad for the group stage of the tournament which begins in Goa on April 14. The Gaurs will begin their maiden voyage into the continental club competition when they take on Qatar's Al-Rayyan on April 14. The four foreigners who have been named in the squad are Ivan Gonzalez, James Donachie, Jorge Ortiz and skipper Edu Bedia.
As per the rules, the clubs are allowed to have no more than four foreign players in their squad. Out of this, one of them must belong to an AFC (Asian Football Federation) member association country. Australian defender Donachie fulfils that criteria.
Meanwhile, Romeo Fernandes made a comeback to the FC Goa main team for the first time since 2016. The winger was on trial with the Gaurs for the past few months. The FC Goa squad comprises 11 players from the home State.
FC Goa are placed in Group E of the competition alongside Persian Pro League 2019-20 champions Persepolis FC (the last edition's finalists) and Qatar Stars League 2019-20 runners-up Al Rayyan. The fourth team in the group is UAE's Al-Wahda who defeated Iraq's Al-Zawraa 2-1 in the play-offs West Asian round on Wednesday and earned the group stage berth.
All the matches will be played at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda behind closed doors owing to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
FC Goa squad: Goalkeepers: Mohammad Nawaz, Naveen Kumar, Shubham Dhas, Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem Defenders: Sanson Pereira, Seriton Fernandes, Leander D'Cunha, Iván González (Spain), Mohamed Ali, James Donachie (Australia), Aibanbha Dohling, Saviour Gama, Adil Khan Midfielders: Edu Bedia (Spain), Glan Martins, Princeton Rebello, Brandon Fernandes, Phrangki Buam, Redeem Tlang, Makan Winkle Chothe, Alexander Romario Jesuraj, Amarjit Singh Kiyam, Romeo Fernandes Forwards: Jorge Ortiz (Spain), Devendra Murgaonkar, Ishan Pandita.
Ramazan forces late kick-off
The Asian Football Confederation has moved the kick-off timings of Group E Champions League matches to 10.30 pm and 8 pm after requests from the three participating teams.
The matches to be played behind closed doors at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda owing to the coronavirus pandemic were originally scheduled to kick off at 5 pm and 8.30 pm. However, all three visiting teams in the group come from Muslim-majority countries and most of the players would be fasting during the holy month of Ramazan, which begins on April 12 in India. After considering the requests of the teams, the organisers have pushed the kick-off timings.
The change in timings has come as a minor irritation for FC Goa, who are not used to playing late matches. Except for their match against Al Wahda of UAE (8 pm kick-off), FC Goa will play all their matches at 10.30 pm.
FC Goa's matches: April 14 - FC Goa vs Al Rayyan SC, 10.30 pm; April 17 – Al Wahda vs FC Goa, 8 pm; April 20 - Persepolis FC vs FC Goa, 10.30 pm; April 23 - FC Goa vs Persepolis, 10.30 pm; April 26 - Al Rayyan vs FC Goa, 8.30 pm; April 29 - FC Goa vs Al Wahda, 10.30 pm.
