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Football ISL: Tough test ahead as Kerala faces Goa

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Bambolim, Goa: Kerala Blasters face a tough challenge as they take on table topper Goa in the hero Indian Super League  at the GMC Stadium, Bambolim on Saturday.

Kerala has grabbed seven points from their last three games compared to 6 in their first 9 matches. However, their coach  Kibu Vicuna admitted  that the fixture against Goa would be a much more difficult test.

After struggling for goals initially, Kerala’s attack has come together in the last 4 matches. In their last four outings, Kibu’s side has scored eight times having attempted 87 shots at an average of 10.87 shots per match. In those four games, Kerala attempted 24 shots on target at an average of 6 shots per match.

“We are competing in every match till the end. In the last three matches, we competed well. We played well and we got the points,” he said.

However, on Saturday, they take on a side that has dominated games with maximum possession, having remained unbeaten in the last five games. Kerala have conceded 21 goals against Goa, the most against any team since ISL4.

“It’s true that tomorrow is a different game. It’s against a good team that plays good football but we are trying to recover the players and prepare for the game as much as possible,” said Vicuna.

“They are a good team, very well prepared with fantastic players. They are playing well. They have very dangerous players. (Igor) Angulo, (Jorge) Ortiz and Romario Jesuraj are playing well. I hope that tomorrow in the game, we are going to be better. And also creating more chances than at the beginning of the season,” he added.

Vicuna’s side is currently in ninth position but they are just four points away from fourth-placed Hyderabad FC and the coach sounded optimistic. “We are happy that we are close (to the top four) after the last game but we are focusing on the next game.”

Goa have been in top form as they have clawed back their way to the top three, putting up impressive performances. Juan Ferrando’s men are the comeback kings of the league, having earned ten points after conceding first.

“We play as a team. We fight until the last minute. Each player has to fight. They know that they will not be in the squad if they don’t do that. You will win some or lose some, but fighting is the most important thing,” stated Ferrando.

“It will be a very difficult game (against Kerala). They have been trying to play good football. They have different plans and are making the most of free spaces. They have a good squad,” he said.

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Goa script a thrilling 2-1 win over Jamshedpur

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Vasco, Goa: Igor Angulo scored a stoppage-time winner to help Goa script a thrilling 2-1 win over Jamshedpur  in the Hero Indian Super League at Tilak Maidan, Vasco.

Stephen Eze (33rd minute) had put Jamshedpur ahead in the first half but Angulo’s brilliant brace (64th, 90+4 minute) helped Goa claim all three points and end Jamshedpur’s  six-match unbeaten run. here last evening  

Both sides showed attacking intent from the word go but had just a single shot on target in the first half as they failed to create clear-cut opportunities.

Brandon Fernandes had a chance to put his side ahead in the game early on when he was set up by Jorge Ortiz on the left. The midfielder got the ball at the edge of the box and curled at the far post, but only to see his attempt miss the top corner.

Jamshedpur broke the deadlock at the half-hour mark and the goal came from a set-piece. Aitor Monroy put in a long ball at the far post and Eze managed to beat Mohammad Nawaz with an outstretched right foot. The Goa custodian should have done better.

Jamshedpur’s defence frustrated Goa’s attack in the first half, with Eze standing tall at the back. The defender was there to thwart every danger posed by the Gaurs. 
Though Goa dominated in terms of possession and passes, they hardly tested Jamshedpur keeper TP Rehenesh in the first 45 minutes.

Jamshedpur nearly doubled the lead, soon after the restart but Nawaz’s brilliant save kept his side in the game. Isaac Vanmalsawma found Jackichand Singh and the former Goa player played a first-time pass to Aniket Jadhav. He pulled the trigger but an alert Nawaz did well to deflect the ball over the bar.

Goa squandered an opportunity when Angulo shot wide with only the keeper at his mercy. Minutes later, Ortiz had a shot saved by Rehenesh. But Goa were not to be denied. The Gaurs were awarded a penalty when James Donachie was brought down in the box by Alexandre Lima. Angulo sent the keeper in the wrong direction to net his seventh goal of the competition.

Jamshedpur nearly restored their lead in the 70th minute but Nerijus Valskis’ brilliantly-taken free-kick came off the crossbar.

Goa were lucky not to concede late in the game when Valskis played Lima on goal. The latter took a first-time shot which hit the crossbar, bounced off the line, and came back in to play. But replays suggested that the ball bounced inside the goal.

That decision would cost Jamshedpur dear as Angulo guided in a corner-kick in stoppage time to gift Goa the win.
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Football ISL: Keen contest on cards as Goa takes on Chennaiyin

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Fatorda Goa:  After two wins, two defeats and two draws in their six fixtures,  Goa will seek to achieve consistency when they host their bitter rivals Chennaiyin in the Hero Indian Super League  at the Fatorda Stadium, on Saturday.

Igor Angulo has been lethal upfront for the home side as the Gaurs scored seven times in their last seven games, of which six came from the Spaniard. But the defense has left a lot to be desired, especially in set-piece situations.

Goa have conceded six times in as many games of which five came from set-pieces. However, they have faced just 15 shots on target, the joint-second-lowest in the league.

“Our target is to win. But sometimes you draw and lose, maybe because of a penalty,” said Juan Ferrando. His team conceded late penalties twice and the Spaniard expressed his dissatisfaction with their tendency to give away soft goals. “We also have to think about the spaces when we lose the ball and go on to concede the penalty. We are not happy conceding late penalties. It is necessary to think about what happened before the penalty,” .

Ferrando stressed the team would have to give 100 percent on the pitch to get their desired results. “If we are working hard, we will have success at the end of the season. It is always about working hard on the pitch,” he said.

Chennaiyin  aren’t faring any better than their opponents. The two-time champions are finding it difficult to score, with only three goals to their name so far. They are in eighth position with five points from five games.

“We want to use our strengths. We need to score goals. We should not be aggressive but focused when we get chances to score. We also have to be organised and stop Goa and we can lead the team to a win,” said Chennaiyin coach Csaba Laszlo.

Goa lost their previous match against  Mohun Bagan but Laszlo knows it wouldn’t be an easy clash against the two-time runners-up.

“We also have to concentrate on ourselves. Goa play good football, we also play football. It should be an interesting game for both sides,” he opined.

There has never been a goalless draw when Chennaiyin and Goa have clashed and the fixture currently holds the record for the most number of goals scored (66). If that trend continues, fans are in for a treat on Saturday.

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Football ISL: Mohun Bagan beat Goa with Krishna penalty

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Fatorda: Mohun Bagan managed to get their winning groove back in the Hero Indian Super League as they edged  Goa 1-0 in a hard-fought contest at the Fatorda Stadium, here on Wednesday.

Roy Krishna (85′) netted the winner from a spot-kick to ensure Antonio Habas’ side climbed back to second spot on the Hero ISL table.  

The first half belonged to the Mariners despite Goa enjoying the lion’s share of possession. They nullified the Gaurs’ attacking threat and controlled the midfield as Juan Ferrando’s side failed to register a single shot on target.

Habas’ side, on the other hand, looked lively in attack and fashioned a couple of good chances but failed to break the deadlock.

David Williams was presented with an early chance to put MB ahead in the 9th minute. Krishna pounced on a miscued pass from Edu Bedia and played it to Pronay Halder, who chipped the ball for Williams in the box.
 The Australian’s lob was safely collected by Goa custodian Mohammad Nawaz, who rushed out of his line in time.

While the hosts were happy to sit back and absorb pressure, Goa failed to penetrate the opposition defense and couldn’t test MB keeper Arindam Bhattacharja.
MB once again came close to taking the lead just before halftime in what was the best chance of the game. However, they were denied by the woodwork.

Receiving a long diagonal ball from the left, Williams cut inside by making space following a delightful touch. The striker launched a pile driver that managed to beat Nawaz but not the upright.

Goa began the second-half with vigour and managed to create better chances. They registered their first shot on target in the 56th minute. Alexander Jesuraj whipped a cross in the box for an unmarked Noguera, whose header was straight at Nawaz.

The Gaurs made two attacking substitutions after the hour mark, bringing on Brandon Fernandes and Jorge Ortiz Mendoza, whose arrivals provided them some much needed impetus.

Goa had a claim for a penalty during the 79th minute but the referee did not deem it so. The tables turned just minutes later as MB won a penalty at the other end and finally took the lead through Krishna, who scored his fifth Hero ISL goal of the campaign.

Krishna was brought down in the box after an ill-timed tackle from substitute Aibanbha Dohling. The Fijian drilled his spot-kick hard into the bottom left-hand corner, leaving Nawaz with no chance. 

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