Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: FC Goa won their first battle by earning a berth in the knockout phase, as now they deal with the real task.
In last four seasons FC Goa managed to progress thrice, even making it to the final on one occasion and despite having the advantage of the home crowd they were beaten by Chennaiyin FC.
Though Goa haven’t won the title, they have a rare feat to their name as no other team has been able to emulate Goa’s feat with ATK and Chennaiyin FC coming the closest with three appearances in the play-off stages.
Whether it had Zico at the helm of affairs or Sergio Lobera. Whether it’s Brazilian samba or Spanish tiki taka, FC Goa have been every neutral’s favourite since the league kicked off in 2014. FC Goa have never won the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) title in four previous attempts but rival fans would still envy the Goan club’s consistency in the league.
The stats are pretty impressive –from having won most matches (36) to having scored most goals (148 goals) –FC Goa are leading their way at the top considering the last five seasons performance. Even the two time champs — Chennaiyin FC and ATK managed only 32 and 28 wins respectively. Significantly, though both Chennaiyin and ATK won the title twice, they have failed to make it to the play-offs of this edition.
After Zico’s samba’s style of football and despite a horrific 2016 season, FC Goa didn’t take long to acclimatise to Sergio’s tiki-taka football and had a head start in his first season itself, thus managing to keep the FC Goa fire ablaze in the state.
Under Sergio Lobera, the Gaurs have garnered a reputation for being the most attacking and entertaining side in the league –thanks to some breath-taking football and not forgetting Ferran Corominas. While it was Ferran Corominas and Manuel Lanzarote in the first edition, the second season was all about Coro, wherein the striker has already scored 14 goals and is in the hunt for the Golden Boot.
He is currently the all-time leading goal scorer in the Indian Super League with 32 goals and the figure is sure to increase consider Goa have three games to play (one league match and two semi-finals games).
And with good reason; under Lobera, Goa have added attacking vibrancy to their cloak of consistency and have made gradual improvements in defence. In his first season, Sergio’s side conceded 28 goals and his defence let him down when it mattered most, but this season the Gaurs have better figures as they have conceded just 20 goals with a game to go—the figures have actually progressed as they have kept seven clean sheets.
Surely this will be huge boost for the Gaurs as they head into the play-off phase of the league. “I’m very happy because we have improved defensively, but we have also continued to create the same number of chances up front. We have to stay humble, keep working and keep our feet on the ground,” said Lobera after Goa clinched the play-off spot this season.
In a league where the form of teams have oscillated between the brilliant and the mundane in perplexing fashion, Goa has been a beacon of consistency.
Now, the challenge will be to finally win the elusive title, something that will make the Goan club feel complete and give their legion of fans cause for real celebration.
