The last time I wrote this column, my mind was filled to the brim with anticipation for the season and a tinge of nervousness. We were yet to play our first game of the ISL at that point in time. One month later, four matches and three wins since, I feel much happier.
This last week gave me one of the biggest moments of my life as a footballer, when I played my first-ever home match for FC Goa at Fatorda. Before I joined the club, I had attended a few matches at Fatorda as a fan. The atmosphere had always enthralled me - an ocean of Orange that never failed to back the Gaurs as they decimated opponents with much ease.
I had always wished to experience it from the other end, on the pitch. What I saw last Friday will now be a memory that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. As we walked on to the pitch amidst the ocean of chants and noise from our supporters, we could also see the word ‘Uzzo’ being spelled out with a mosaic. It immediately raised our spirits to a whole new level, and set the tone for what followed.
Although not part of the starting XI, I found myself on the pitch soon after. An unfortunate injury to my friend Fares Arnaout meant I had to replace him at centre-back - an unusual position for me. Previously, while speaking to coach Carlos Pena, I had expressed openness in playing at whichever position he wanted me at, but I still had not expected to play in defence, as I’ve never trained or played in that position before.
Before I stepped on to the pitch, I reminded myself that I just have to keep things simple - play my natural game, make the right decisions and play the right passes. To cap off an unforgettable night, our performances were rewarded with a good win and a clean sheet.
A good start to the season
You would know I would be lying if I said I felt as confident as right now, during the start of our campaign. After all, it was our first set of matches in front of fans after a long time. To add to this, our first two matches - against East Bengal and Chennaiyin FC - were away games, and we would be playing in Kolkata and Chennai known to always house loud and large gatherings that consistently unsettle opposition opponents.
As I myself expected, I struggled in the beginning but slowly I was able to regain composure. The fact that we won both games with my team playing well overall, also helped me regain confidence. It was a learning experience for me personally, as I realised several key areas in my game that I needed to work on. I’m sure it was the same for all of my teammates as well. We got the right start that we wanted, and now we needed to sustain it by training hard.
Slight setback at Hyderabad
The following week, our dream start was halted briefly at Hyderabad FC. We did expect a tough game and upped our training by a notch, but ultimately we could not get the job done. While the result left us disappointed, there were plenty of positives to take home. We fought till the final whistle and created several good chances, and ultimately were just unlucky not to return with some more points in the bag.
After the match, our coach comforted us, saying, “If we have to lose, let’s lose like this.” He also expressed satisfaction in our performances, and said that he believes we can do even better. His words of affirmation have lifted our spirits and renewed our hopes, as we now proceed to take on Kerala Blasters, ATK Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC in the remaining fixtures for this month.
(Glan Martins is the midfielder of Indian Super League club FC Goa)
