Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: It goes without saying that FC Goa boast of top quality in their squad, but lately they have found it tough to convert that into results in the ongoing Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 season.
The Gaurs last registered a win over a month ago, when they overcame NorthEast United’s challenge at Fatorda. Since then, they have played four games, drawing twice and losing twice.
Up next for Carlos Pena’s boys is a home clash against Kerala Blasters, where they will look to return to winning ways and build on their playoff hopes. That said, it will not be an easy task against the high-flying Yellow Army.
A big boost for FC Goa will be the fans themselves, who are expected to arrive in large numbers at the PJN Stadium to motivate and cheer for their favourite team.
“I’m coming all the way from Kerala,” Sreeram, a member of the FC Goa Fan Club Kerala said. “Because why not? FC Goa is not just a team for me, they’re family. They’ve been with me through thick and thin, and it’s my responsibility to support them too.
“Our recent results weren’t great, but we’ll never lose hope in this team. This team can do much better than this and they will, it’s just a matter of time. Hopefully that begins on Sunday against Kerala Blasters, as I watch them from the stands,” he added.
The two teams faced each other last in November, when goals from Adrian Luna, Dimitrios Diamantakos and Ivan Kaliuzhnyi helped the Southerners beat the Gaurs 3-1. Noah Sadaoui’s strike offered very little consolation for the Men in Orange.
Since then, Ivan Vukomanovic and co set off on an eight-game unbeaten run that recently ended at the hands of Mumbai City. In doing so, they also climbed to third place in the standings.
Come Sunday, FC Goa would look to pull off a win of their own, one that could hopefully be the start of a run that ends with them qualifying for the next stage of the competition.
“All what happened in our away fixture is still fresh in our minds, but that’s not the end of the road. The perfect reply would be a victory, and we’ll make sure that our team gets all the support they deserve,” Saiel Naik of East Lower Army, one of FC Goa’s official fan groups, said.
“We lost our momentum slightly in our last four games. But if our Gaurs give their 100 percent on the pitch on Sunday, the three points will be ours.”
Nave Dias Alberto, an FC Goa College Ambassador from Parvatibai Chowgule College Arts And Sciences, added to this, saying, “the reverse fixture should, in fact, motivate us. Football is a sport where wins and losses are common.
“An unfavourable result is never a problem as long as we learn from them and do better. And we, the fans, know that our team can do this. We’re always with them and we are looking forward to seeing the best of them at our Fatorda Fortress,” she signed off.
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