AGENCIES, CHENNAI: FC Goa face Chennaiyin FC in the away match of the Indian Super League at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai, on Thursday.
With all the teams having played at least seven matches each to complete the first phase of the competition, FC Goa and Chennaiyin FC occupy the third and fourth spots on the table with 11 and 10 points respectively.
The Gaurs, with a current record of three wins, two draws and two losses, are coming into their third away game after a 1-1 draw played at home against FC Pune City on last Friday.
Chennaiyin FC’s last result too was a 1-1 draw away to Kerala Blasters FC on Saturday. FC Goa are the only side in the top of the table to have a negative goal difference as the head coach Zico explained the same to be his only concern.
Chennaiyin FC’s 4-0 victory over FC Goa in the first leg was the first of their three wins they have this season and having scored 11 goals, nine of them have been scored by the pair of Elano Blumer and Stiven Mendoza.
Zico made clear that his team won’t entertain any thoughts of revenge.
“There is no this feeling of revenge, past is past. We came here looking for three points because it doesn’t matter if we just beat Chennai and lose other matches. There is no point in that,” Zico told reporters.
“My biggest concern is that we have been creating so many chances and we are not able to finish them. I think we should have more points than we have now but my biggest concern is we have to create chances and finish them,” the legendary Brazilian said.
FC Goa have received a big boost ahead of the match as some of their top players are available for selection having recuperated from minor injuries.
“We have some players back in the team like Joffre, Reinaldo, Keenan Almeida, Joaquim Abranches [who played in last game against Pune] and Pronay Halder,” Zico informed.
When asked whether his team had a special plan for Mendoza who had a great game against them earlier in the season, Zico said: “I think he had a great night. He is a very good player and very fast. It was a very happy day for him. We told our players to take extra care of him and Elano, about how they play. We don’t have any special thing prepared just for Mendoza. We are going to play just as we play.”
Meanwhile, Zico’s counterpart Marco Materazzi said their previous win against FC Goa won’t have any bearing on Thursday’s game. The Chennaiyin head coach was also all praise for Bruno Pelissari who hasn’t made many starts this season.
“For our style of playing and our formation, we have to decide between Elano and Bruno but still I have great consideration for Bruno…I respect him a lot as a player because he never complains. He is a great professional,” Materazzi said.
Injury woes to strikers continue for the Gaurs as Joaquim Abranches injured himself in training and is recuperating in Goa along with Reinaldo, Jofre, Keenan Almeida and Pronay Halder. The team’s new forward in Rafael Coelho Luiz and CS Sabeeth meanwhile could play a role in the match.
