Down 1-4, Goa seek a miracle vs Chennaiyin
Margao, March 6
FC Goa face the herculean task of overturning a 1-4 deficit when they take on Chennaiyin FC in the second leg of their Indian Super League semifinals here tomorrow.
FC Goa will be boosted by the return of Edu Bedia, who missed the 1-4 defeat in the first leg in Chennai due to personal reasons. There is more good news as Brandon Fernandes and Hugo Boumous, who were injured for last week’s tie, are back in contention for a start. Boumous has been in spectacular form this season, having scored 10 goals and assisted in 11 in 14 matches.
Also with the return of Fernandes, FC Goa would hope for better deliveries from wide positions, something which was missing from their game in the first leg.
Ferran Corominas will play as No. 9 after playing as a withdrawn forward in the last game. The Spanish striker has 14 goals to his name this season and FC Goa need his goals now more than ever. Interim coach Clifford Miranda will have a decision to make as to whether he would deploy an all-attacking line-up of Bedia, Boumous and Corominas or choose to go with two foreign centre-backs in Mourtada Fall and Carlos Pena.
“We have to win to overcome the deficit, but that does not mean we go all out from minute one,” Miranda said. “It’s 90 minutes and more and whatever football that I know, it is not decided in the first 10 to 15 minutes. It will be till the final whistle and we will take it minute-by-minute.”
Chennaiyin head coach Owen Coyle has said his players would not be lackadaisical, despite enjoying a three-goal lead. — PTI
