PANAJI
FC Goa will look to build on their win over Jamshedpur in their last game when they take on Hyderabad FC in the Indian Super League match at Tilak Maidan Stadium in Vasco on Thursday.
After a dismal debut ISL season, the team from the City of Nizams have looked like a wholly changed unit this time around. Characterised by their fluency of play, their young yet talented Indian core has really come in for some much deserved praise this season.
Meanwhile, the Gaurs are looking for better consistency in their performances as the new-look team heads towards the halfway stage of the league. It’s been a mixed bag of a season for defending league champions in terms of results.
Although they have impressed time and again with their flair and panache on the pitch, results haven’t reflected their dominance on the pitch. And that’s something that Juan Ferrando will look to put right. The Spaniard saw his side clinch a vital win in their last game against Jamshedpur FC as Igor Angulo delivered again - this time with a winning header in the 4th minute of added-on time.
Hyderabad meanwhile were unbeaten after five games but now back-to-back defeats have seen them slip to eighth on the table. The Gaurs' defensive woes, however, will provide Hyderabad the hope to get back on track. Sixth-placed Gaurs have been among the most fearsome attacking teams this season, having scored 10 goals so far. However, in defence, they have found it hard to keep things tight, conceding nine goals while recording just one clean sheet. Seven of them have come through set-pieces ” the most by a team this season.
Hyderabad gaffer Manuel Marquez is aware of Goa's defensive struggles and knows his team will have their chances to win. The Nizams, who have often been guilty of missing chances this season, will need to ensure they need to be clinical in front of goal.
"These kinds of things (conceding goals) are normal in football," Marquez said on FC Goa. “If you are an offensive team, you can have problems in defence and vice versa. Goa have an offensive style because they arrive with a lot of players when they attack. They have very good players, everybody knows that. It's not only about Igor Angulo but also their midfielders and forwards. But for their defence sometimes, when the other team is on a counter-attack, there are less defenders than attackers and it becomes very difficult to defend."
Hyderabad have scored just six goals this season, with only Kerala Blasters and SC East Bengal scoring less. But they have shown they can be threatening from set-pieces, through which they have scored half their goals.
This presents a tough challenge for FC Goa, but coach Ferrando is more focused on preparing the team for defensive situations despite the lack of clean sheets. "Firstly, I'm not worried if we concede three goals, but we score four," said Ferrando. "About the set-pieces, we need to put attention to why. It's important to connect. When we are working in the defensive line, it's important to understand the moment of the timing to attack the ball, who is better in free space, zone, and man-to-man. In this case, we need time because it's necessary to change (players) game by game, depending on the opponents."
