ISL | FC Goa faces an uphill task against Bengaluru

FC Goa head coach Marquez will be banking on home support in the second leg.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO: ISL

There is a popular notion in football that it is always favourable to get a home match in the second leg of a crucial knockout clash. FC Goa will have that luxury as it faces Bengaluru FC in the second leg of their ISL semifinal tie at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Sunday.

However, Manolo Marquez and his outfit will step on the pitch with an uphill battle to conquer after losing 2-0 courtesy of a Sandesh Jhingan own goal and an Edgar Mendez strike four days back at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium.

Numerically, Goa was the better attacking team in the opening leg. Marquez’s men had 21 touches inside the opponent’s penalty area, 130 passes inside the final third and eight crosses inside the box. However, Gerard Zaragoza’s Bengaluru was clinical, creating two big chances and converting one, while Goa created just one and failed to capitalise on the opportunity.

A deficit to overcome, playing in front of home fans and a place in the finals — the Gaurs have plenty of incentives to come out all guns blazing. But as Bengaluru has has shown this season, on its day, it can virtually dominate every department on the pitch.

“Finally, it’s a game. In the regular season, we beat them 3-0. There is always hope. There will be a lot of fans at the Fatorda. We want the supporters to come to the stadium and do as good as or better, if possible, than the Bengaluru FC fans,” said Marquez.