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FC Goa looking to reclaim the top spot

Zico during a FC Goa Press Conference
Zico during a FC Goa Press Conference

Photo courtesy: FC Goa

FC Goa will look to reclaim the top spot when they take on Chennaiyin FC in Match 9 of the Indian Super League (ISL) Season 2 at the Fatorda Stadium in Margao, Goa, on Sunday evening.

The Goan franchise started with a 2-0 win over Delhi Dynamos FC that then came back resiliently to hold defending champions Atlético de Kolkata to a 1-1 draw on Wednesday.

Playing their third game in eight days, head coach Zico hasn’t particularly given a thought at rotating his squad. “This is the beginning of the competition and all the players are fit and prepared to play,” he said.

FC Goa has scored thrice in two matches but have also found the upright as many times while Reinaldo da Cruz Oliveira has not been to convert all his chances.

However, Zico quipped, “It doesn’t bother me. It would bother me if he had no opportunities. One thing that I have been telling my team is what has been missing is for the midfield to play closer to Reinaldo.”

Injuries in the squad have ruled out Raju Gaikwad for three weeks and Victor Simoes for until the first phase of the tournament while Pronay Halder and Bikramjit Singh are striving towards full fitness.

On the other hand, Chennaiyin FC are coming into the tie after facing back to back defeats at the hands of the same two opponents faced by FC Goa.

“It is a disappointment that we lost two games in a row and we want to apologize to all our Chennaiyin FC fans but we want to assure that we will come back with a bang,” remarked the away team’s assistant coach Vivek Nagul.

“We have planned our sessions, we have planned what to do in the next game [against FC Goa] and game by game we will go ahead. This game we will see a lot of changes,” he added.

Chennaiyin striker Fikru Lamessa, who has an on-field history against FC Goa defender Gregory Arnolin, is declared fit for the clash. The only injury known in the away team is that to midfielder Dhanapal Ganesh.

Expect the Marco Materazzi led team to come hard at the home team considering they have a lot to make up for to record their first point on the table while Zico will be motivating his side to continue setting pace in the competition.