sullivan@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Following FC Goa’s crushing defeat at the hands of Chennaiyin FC, head coach Zico cut a disappointed figure at the post-match press conference.
Admitting that his team were second best, the Brazilian praised the opposition for their gritty play from start to finish. “This is very disappointing. We prepared hard to win this tie. We did not approach this game with the same intensity as we did the other two games. The opposition certainly did and they destroyed us,” he said.
From kick-off, Zico’s men did not look up for the task as they almost conceded twice within the first three minutes.
“We didn’t give everything today. Our finishing was lacking. We’re not happy at all,” he explained, adding, “We were dominated in midfield. We planned to mark Elano well but didn’t execute accordingly. Elano to Mendoza is a devastating combo and that showed. Sadly, nothing went our way today.”
Early in the second half, midfielder Jofre appeared to be clipped in the box but no penalty was given. Further on, the ball seemed to cross the line after it ricocheted off the under side of the crossbar from a fierce Sabeeth shot. That too wasn’t given.
“The Sabeeth goal wouldn’t have made a difference to the result since we were already down by four then. But it should have stood. The other missed opportunities cost us. Keenan, Jofre, Reinaldo and Romeo, all missed chances to net but failed to do so,” Zico explained.
Technology in football is one of the biggest debates internationally and it is likely to cause a stir again following the decision on Sabeeth’s ‘no goal’.
“I favour technology in football. Whatever the result, if a goal is scored, it has to show. In this case, we were down by four. But what if the score had been 0-0? It would have made a world of difference then,” said the marquee coach.
Zico promised a better response in the forthcoming matches however, saying that the team will train harder to get better results. “We have to raise our heads and do our best, starting with the next match. Last year, after three games, we had one point. This year, we have four. Of course we will look to kick on from here,” Zico asserted.
Jofre was replaced midway through the second half with what appeared to be a knock while marquee player and captain Lucio came off the field, reducing Goa to 10 following the third substitution.
“Normally we require about 24-48 hours to evaluate an injury. But it looks like Jofre’s is just a mild knock. Lucio’s injury appears to be in the muscle. We will need time to evaluate that,” Zico said.
