After a heartbreaking defeat on their ISL debut against NorthEast United FC, Mohammedan SC will be eager to redeem themselves and go guns blazing when they take on FC Goa at Kishore Bharati Stadium on Saturday. Manolo Marquez’s FC Goa, who were stunned by Jamshedpur FC at their home turf of Fatorda Stadium, will also be looking to get back to winning ways.
Mohammedan SC came close to securing a point on debut, but Alaeddine Ajaraie’s late strike spoiled their night. Jordan Murray’s brilliant goal had earlier given FC Goa a shock at their home ground, as the Gaurs now look to regain their momentum.
The Black Panthers had a short pre-season ahead of their inaugural ISL campaign, and that has been evident in their performances. Despite an impressive display, they conceded a last-minute goal due to a lack of fitness and concentration. However, head coach Andrey Chernyshov is confident that his players will quickly adapt to the demands of the tournament and put in a stronger performance against Goa.
“I’m happy with the team’s performance in the last match, especially considering we played against the Durand Cup champions. The players are gradually adapting to this tournament, and I believe we will show an even better display in the next game,” Chernyshov said.
Marquez made some tactical changes in FC Goa’s opener against Jamshedpur FC, starting Akash Sangwan at left-back while benching Jay Gupta, and deploying Udanta Singh at right-back. However, the moves didn’t yield the desired results. Still, the Spanish coach remains optimistic about a stronger showing against Mohammedan SC.
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“In training, you can see the hunger in the players to respond to the first-game defeat. While you can never promise results, you can promise that the players will work hard. I believe that on Saturday against Mohammedan SC, they will give their 100%. Whether we’ll win, I cannot say for sure, but the effort will be there,” Marquez said.
This match also presents a key opportunity for Mohammedan SC’s domestic players to showcase their talents in front of Marquez, who is also the head coach of the Indian national team.
Meanwhile, FC Goa are on the verge of reaching a significant milestone, being just three goals away from becoming the first ISL team to score 350 goals in the competition. Their new striker, Armando Sadiku, formerly of Mohun Bagan SG, has been in red-hot form, scoring six goals in the Bandodkar Trophy and netting in their ISL opener. Returning to a familiar city, Sadiku will look to continue his scoring run.
Mohammedan SC will need to tighten their defence to contain Goa’s dangerous forward line. With newly signed French defender Florent Ogier yet to join the squad, Chernyshov will likely stick with the centre-back pairing of Joseph Adjae and Gaurav Bora. On the attacking front, Argentine midfielder Alexis Gomez has caught the eye with his exceptional playmaking skills, and his team will once again rely on him to trouble Goa’s defence.
A close encounter awaits at the Kishore Bharati Stadium as Mohammedan SC aim to establish themselves in their debut ISL season. At the same time, Marquez, who is juggling his dual responsibilities as both club and national team coach, will be looking to silence critics with a strong result.
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