Coach Zico says FC Goa are not unduly worried about Mumbai City FC attackers Sunil Chhetri and Sony Norde ahead of their game in the 2015 Hero Indian Super League (ISL) at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday.
In Mumbai’s 2-0 win against Delhi Dynamos FC earlier this week, Chhetri hit the back of the net twice with Norde playing a role on both occasions. On the prospect of facing them, Zico said: “It’s always difficult to play against top players but we don’t have a special plan for them but we will be alert. Sunil Chhetri and Sony Norde are top players and we know they will be there but we will have to play our game.”
Goa sit atop the league table with 10 points from five matches. Their campaign had taken a big blow when they lost 4-0 against Chennaiyin FC in their third match but they quickly moved on from that defeat with wins against NorthEast United FC and Kerala Blasters FC, both come-from-behind wins. Zico was effusive in praise of his players.
“It shows what we are made of. In that 4-0 loss, it could easily have been 4-2 or 4-3... It shows we are doing good work and I’m very happy with my players. To come back after that defeat, we had the strength to come back after that match and get other results,” the Brazilian said.
“I always tell my players we that if we score or get scored against, it’s part of the game. It’s better not to concede but if you get scored against, we should have the strength to come back which happened in the last two games.”
Overall, Zico was happy with the progress of his team. “There is a satisfaction to our doing a good performance. Very different from last year, I think at this stage we had four points. Our team is doing a great job and we would want to carry on this way,” he said.
After the Chennaiyin FC defeat, Goa, known for playing attractive football up front, tightened their midfield quite a bit. Zico said that despite doing that there was no intention to compromise their philosophy of attacking football.
“Our philosophy remains the same that is attacking. We have scored five goals in the last two matches and against NorthEast United FC we could have scored five-six. It doesn’t matter our philosophy remains the same.”
Commenting on Mumbai’s marquee player-cum-coach Nicolas Anelka and his additional responsibility as coach this year, Zico said: “He was a great player. Lots of experience he has with different clubs. He was with me at Fenerbahçe and I wish him all the success. It’s a new role. He will be learning every day. I’m sure he will be fine and have a lot of success in his career.”
Mendy, Mendoza shine in Chennaiyin FC’s 2-1 win vs Pune
FC Pune City’s search for top spot in the 2015 Hero Indian Super League hit a roadblock as Chennaiyin FC came out winners in a tightly-contested game played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Saturday evening. Bernard Mendy’s header in the 34th minute and Stiven Mendoza’s 48th-minute goal saw the hosts secure all three points in front of the 26,821 supporters, taking Marco Materazzi’s men into the top half of the table. Kalu Uche pulled one back for the visitors in the 75th minute to narrow the scoreline.
Chennaiyin put in a composed show after a 2-0 defeat against NorthEast United FC in their last match. The first half witnessed a show of goalkeeping brilliance, with Steven Simonsen standing tall in goal for Pune, denying Elano twice and then Mendoza in one-on-one situations. For Chennaiyin, goalie Karanjit Singh pulled off a fine fingertip save to deny Dharmaraj Ravanan a goal from a set-piece at point-blank range. But Simonsen was helpless when a long throw-in from Dhanachandra Singh into the box was met by Mendy’s glancing header, well directed in the far corner.
The second half began in the same vein for Chennaiyin, when Elano latched on to a loose ball and threaded it to Mendoza who showed eagerness and outran his marker and went around the keeper to make it six goals in six appearances.
FC Pune City coach David Platt introduced Kalu Uche around the hour mark, which turned out to be a telling substitution. The Nigerian striker was quickest in the box to react to a double save from Karanjit to put the ball into the empty goal, this time the keeper caught out helpless.
Pune pressed forward with more numbers after the goal, but Chennaiyin managed to keep their shape and hold on for a victory, taking them into the top half, level on nine points with FC Pune City and Delhi Dynamos FC. Both Pune and Delhi have one game in hand but Chennaiyin take the second position as of now, thanks to a better goal difference. Pune now travel back home to take on Kerala Blasters FC on October 27.
Match awards:
Club Award: Chennaiyin FC
Swift Moment of the Match: Stiven Mendoza (Chennaiyin FC) (Watch here)
Amul Fittest Player of the Match: Mailson Alves (Chennaiyin FC)
ISL Emerging Player of the Match: Karanjit Singh (Chennaiyin FC) (Watch here)
Hero of the Match: Bernard Mendy (Chennaiyin FC)
Preview, Match 21: Highflying Goa travel to rejuvenated Mumbai
FC Goa got back to winning ways with back-to-back wins away and home, against North East United FC and Kerala Blasters FC respectively, to consolidate their position at the top half of the table of the 2015 Hero Indian Super League. Now they travel to play Mumbai City FC at the DY Patil Stadium on Sunday evening.
Mumbai will look to build on the impressive performance they put on show against Delhi Dynamos FC that earned them a 2-0 victory and should provide a stern test to the in-form visitors.
Mumbai City FC so far: L-D-L-W
FC Goa so far: W-D-L-W-W
Head-to-Head: Last year both matches ended in goalless draws.
Sunil Chhetri vs Gregory Arnolin:
India’s top-scorer Chhetri scored a brace in the previous game for Mumbai and displayed characteristic predatory instincts in front of goal to showcase his abilities in his first season of the Hero ISL. Although he has played just two games, he is the perfect blend of ability and experience to lead the Mumbai line-up once again for Nicolas Anelka’s team and will certainly look to add to his tally to help Mumbai’s cause. His blossoming partnership with Sony Norde is sure to cause concern for Goa’s defence.
Up against Chhetri should be FC Goa’s defensive mainstay, Frenchman Gregory Arnolin. Arnolin has started every game for the Gaurs, and even chipped in with the winning goal against Kerala Blaster’s FC in the previous game. His physical presence at the back will be put to the test by Chhetri’s movement, and in the absence of Lucio, his organization of defence will be key to shutting out any threat to Goa’s goal. Mumbai will also be wary of Arnolin’s aerial prowess in front of goal from set-pieces, judging by his contribution in the game against Delhi and his tally in the first season.
Sony Norde vs Luciano Sobrosa
Mumbai’s tricky frontman has been a delight to watch with his mazy runs and interplay with the midfielders and forwards. His ability to get into the box and directness of play could put Goa on the back foot. Norde always seems to be present and willing to receive the ball and take the game to his opponents’ defence, and both goals that Chhetri scored were a direct result of the same. The Haitian has started all the games for Mumbai so far, and looks to partner Chhetri up front for Mumbai again.
Luciano Sobrosa has come in for the injured Lucio, and has performed admirably for the Gaurs, helping his team record two wins from his two starts. Goa have conceded goals in every game so far in this campaign, and this will be something that Luciano will hope to rectify along with defensive partner Arnolin. The Brazilian veteran will have to be at the top of his game to get the better of Norde, who has eleven shots on goal to his name, and it should be interesting to see who prevails.
Cristian Bustos vs Leo Moura
Bustos has added solidity to the Mumbai midfield, playing three games for the hosts, and every passing game has seen more assured performances from the Spaniard. He was instrumental in cutting off supply to the Delhi frontmen in the last match, and his tough tackling, ball-winning game will surely set the tempo for any counter attacks that Mumbai employ.
Moura has been FC Goa’s midfield mainstay, starting all the games so far for coach Zico, with one goal and one assist to his credit. In the absence of Joffre, Moura has also shown his creative aspect of the game, playing in an advanced role and also finding the goal that sparked the comeback for the Gaurs. His calmness on the ball and distribution, along with his ball-winning ability, will see that he is again busy in the middle of the park in this away fixture.
With Mumbai seemingly clicking into winning form, this game promises to be a cracker.
Quotes:
It’s always difficult to play against top players but we don’t have a special plan for them but we will be alert. Sunil Chhetri and Sony Norde are top players and we know they will be there but we will have to play our game: FC Goa coach Zico
We learned from the last game what we did right and we have to continue it. And the few mistakes we have had, the coaches are going to work on it and we are going to rectify them. That’s the way forward for us:Mumbai City FC striker Sunil Chhetri
Squads:
Mumbai City FC: Subrata Pal, Albino Gomes, Debjit Majumder, Kinshuk Debnath, Darren O’Dea, Pavel Čmovš, Keegan Pereira, Lalchhuanmawia Fanai (Chhuantea), Frantz Bertin, Rowilson Rodrigues, Airtor Fernandez Lopez, Gabriel Fernandes, Juan Aguilera Nunez, Brandon Fernandes, André Francisco Moritz, Selim Benachour, Cristian Bustos, Sarang Singh, Pratesh Shirodkar, Sampath Kumar Kuttymani, Ashutosh Mehta, Singam Subash Singh, Nicolas Anelka (Marquee & Manager), Sony Norde, Sunil Chhetri, Frederic Piquionne
FC Goa: Elinton Sanchotene Andrade, Luis Barreto, Laxmikant Kattimani, Lucimar Da Silva Ferreira [Lucio] [marquee], Gregory Arnolin, Luciano Sobrosa, Keenan Almeida, Nicolau Colaco, Raju Gaekwad, Debabrata Roy, Narayan Das, Joffre Mateu Gonzalez, Leonardo da Silva Moura [Leo Moura], Jonatan Lucca, Denson Devdas, Pronay Halder, Bikramjit Singh, Mandar Rao Dessai, Romeo Fernandes, Reinaldo Da Cruz Oliveira, Victor Simoes de Oliveira, Darryl Duffy, Thongkoisep Haokip, Victorino Fernandes, Joaquim Abranches, CS Sabeeth
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