MARGAO
Goa will be relying on courage and determination to win when they face Meghalaya in the concluding match of the Group A final round of 77th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy, at Golden Jubilee Stadium, Yupia in Arunachal Pradesh, on Wednesday.
Goa are on unbeaten streak after their stunning 2-1 win over Services in previous match while Meghalaya who posted one draw and occupy bottom place
Speaking ahead of the match, Goa coach Charles Dias said, "It is necessary to play against them with high concentration."
“I have worked with my support staff to prepare the players to provide the best technical performance in the match with the aim of achieving victory," said head coach Charles Dias.
"We have come here with the same courage and determination, aspiring only to win. That’s what matters most to us,” said Dias.
“We are determined to compete fiercely and play our best to win the match. A draw will not be enough “ we aim to be the best in the country. I’m confident all my players are more than capable and deserving of playing in this tournament. I have always emphasised knowing each player’s strengths and how they can contribute. Every player has played a role in getting us to where we are now. This is a fundamental part of our philosophy,” Dias explained.
“Players are not machines. They run and play hard. It’s normal for their performance to fluctuate. Goa made a comeback and almost scored, but we also had chances to score. No player can maintain peak performance for the entire 90 minutes, but we were giving our best too," said Dias.
Dias who coached Sesa Football Academy to their first-ever title win further added, “We don’t need to explain how important the match is. We prepare for as normal, without adding any more pressure on the players, and we hope to produce a performance that reflects our team level, and what we produced to record the the match. This match is very important for Goan football,” said Dias.
“I’m very satisfied with our achievement. It was a personal challenge for me to take Goa to the semifinal and I have achieved what I aimed for. We will have a full squad despite some injuries to striker Necio Maristo Fernandes and defender Joseph Clemente but the players will be ready,” Dias concluded.
