21 Feb 2018 | 04:54am IST
Gaurs Charged for first of the ‘4 finals’
FC Goa have managed to pull-off just a point in their last
four games and failed to score in the last two matches
BAMBOLIM: After suffering back-to-back defeats, FC Goa coach Sergio Lobera believes his side now face a daunting task as they play the ‘first of the four finals’ against Delhi Dynamos, at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda.
FC Goa have managed to pull-off just one point in their last four encounters and moreover they have failed to score a goal in the last two matches.
“I think we have to live in the reality, and the reality is that tomorrow is the first of the four games we are playing as a final,” he stated.
“And we have to get three points from that. The motivation would be that if we get the win tomorrow, we will still be depending on ourselves. I think we can achieve something big this year, and we are four wins away from that.”
Regarding how he planned to shape his team for the final phase of the league stage, Lobera said: “We try to play every game in the best possible way. The most important thing is to be loyal to ourselves. We have a good team, which we have demonstrated throughout the course of the season. And we have to demonstrate the same in the final phase.”
The Spaniard also shrugged off claims that Goa’s 5 – 1 win over Delhi earlier on in the season would have an impact in their upcoming tie. “For me, every game is different,” he remarked. “Whatever happened in the past cannot be compared to what is going to happen now. We are playing against a team that plays good football, and who deserve more points than they have got. So, the game tomorrow will be tough.”
Before concluding, the 41-year-old also revealed how he selected his team for a particular fixture.
“Every week, I pick the best possible eleven that I think will suit us,” Lobera said.
“For this, I don’t look at what they did in the past. For this, I look at them day to day and see what they demonstrate to me, and from there I pick the best. The squad is a very good one, and everybody needs to wait for their moment and opportunity.”
The Lions, meanwhile, are rooted to the bottom of the league table for a while. But the Miguel Ángel Portugal-coached side has shown signs of improvement in the past few games. They have won two of their past five games, drawn one and lost the other two. And a win against Goa on Wednesday will see them leapfrog ATK and NorthEast United FC to eighth.
