FC Goa and Al Rayyan SC battled to an entertaining 1-1 draw at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda on Monday. The result helped the Gaurs consolidate the third spot in Group E, whereas it left Al Rayyan SC rooted to the foot of the table.
The hosts began the game brightly and immediately ascended into the lead in the third minute when Jorge Ortiz was teed up by Brandon Fernandes in the inside right channel. The Spaniard held his nerve, rounded the keeper, and slotted the ball into an empty net.
After going behind, Al Rayyan SC looked a little shell-shocked and took a while to settle down. When they did though, they began posing questions, with Yacine Brahimi Yohan Boli trying to turn the screw. However, they failed to fashion any clear-cut opportunities in the opening 45 minutes as the Gaurs went into the break with a one-goal cushion.
Post the restart, Al Rayyan SC seemed a lot more confident and tried to attack down the flanks. FC Goa, though, stood strong and thwarted everything the Qatari outfit threw at them.
However, the hosts were undone in the dying embers of the encounter when Ali Ferydoon pounced on some slack handling by Dheeraj Singh to restore parity.
Here is a look at the major talking points from the match.
FC Goa’s bravery and courage goes in vain as historic moment eludes them
Post the game against Persepolis FC, plenty would’ve been forgiven to fear the worst for FC Goa. Not just because the Gaurs were in their maiden AFC Champions League campaign, but also because they looked visibly drained.
Rather remarkably though, they turned things around against Al Rayyan SC and had they been more clinical, they might just have propelled themselves into Indian footballing folklore.
A late equaliser from Al Rayyan meant that the Gaurs had to settle for a draw after an impressive performance at the Fortress.
Nonetheless, you made us all proud! #RiseAgain #RYNGOA #FCGoaInAsia #ACL2021 pic.twitter.com/WtOmosMFBp
— FC Goa (@FCGoaOfficial) April 26, 2021
For large swathes of the match, FC Goa showcased plenty of attacking adventure and were brave in possession. They were intent on playing out from the back and were not averse to breaking through the lines. While they tried something similar for the opening quarter against Persepolis FC, they lacked the conviction to execute those plans. On Monday though, that was hardly the case.
The change in mindset was illustrated with the way FC Goa began the game. Against Persepolis FC, they almost always chose the more cautious option, even when they turned over possession quickly. However, this time out, they were swift to attack whenever the opportunity presented itself, with Brandon Fernandes and Jorge Ortiz, courtesy of the goal, embodying it to the tee.
Even in midfield, the hosts were the first to each stray ball and competed against Al Rayyan SC as if their lives depended on it. They exhibited plenty of energy and seemed a shadow of the side that was outclassed, just a few days ago.
On the defensive front, their rear-guard managed to hold an aggressive high line – something that crowded out the Al Rayyan SC attackers. Dheeraj Singh, much like he was against Al Rayyan SC and Al Wahda, was magnificent between the sticks, barring the error that led to the goal.
Additionally, their defenders were not afraid to put their bodies on the line and made several important interventions. They were exceptional when it came to clearances and quite seldom seemed indecisive.
In fact, such was the brilliance of FC Goa’s display that they had ample chances to win the encounter in the second half. Unfortunately, they were unable to marry their endeavors with an end product, meaning that Al Rayyan SC capitalised and came away with a point.
FC Goa learn from their mistakes
A few days ago, FC Goa looked completely out of sorts as Persepolis FC trampled them 4-0. Throughout the aforementioned encounter, the Gaurs, apart from lacking the requisite technical quality, also looked short of tactical ideas. Against Al Rayyan SC though, they rectified most of those errors and gave a much better account of themselves.
On Friday, FC Goa accorded the Persepolis FC players a lot of room, both in midfield and in the attacking areas. Unsurprisingly, the visitors asserted their dominance and put the Gaurs under pressure. On Monday though, the home side were energetic for the entirety of the game and rarely allowed the opposition players a moment’s peace.
At times, FC Goa pressed high up the pitch and harried the Al Rayyan SC defenders into mistakes. On other occasions, they were content to sit deep and reduce the spaces in between the lines – an area that caused them quite a bit of grief against Persepolis FC.
Apart from the above, the wingers and the midfielders tracked their runners expertly and ensured that the Al Rayyan SC players had minimal time to create chances. Subsequently, the tourists had to rely on shots from distance or set-pieces to really trouble the FC Goa rear-guard.
Most tellingly though, throughout the encounter, the Gaurs showcased the tactical nous that was perhaps missing from their tussle against Persepolis FC. Against Al Rayyan SC, FC Goa picked and chose their moments to press, while also portraying the flexibility to drop into a more rigid shape, as soon as Al Rayyan SC threatened to beat the initial press.
During their AFC Champions League campaign, FC Goa have illustrated that they have the adequate ability to compete with Asia’s biggest gunslingers on a regular basis. And, though that might entail the odd drubbing, as was the case on Friday, enormous weight is lent to the aforementioned notion if FC Goa (or Indian teams in general) display the propensity to learn from their mistakes at the earliest.
FC Goa’s marquee players rise to the occasion
On Friday, Juan Ferrando shuffled his pack considerably and made eight changes as he sought to rest his first-choice players. On that particular evening, the move backfired as Persepolis FC annihilated the Gaurs 4-0.
Three days later, the Spaniard recalled his biggest stars for the game against Al Rayyan SC, considering it perhaps represented the Gaurs’ best opportunity to notch up a victory in the AFC Champions League. And, it’s fair to say that they repaid Juan Ferrando’s faith.
FC Goa began the game superbly and immediately surged into the lead. Brandon Fernandes and Jorge Ortiz were directly involved, with the latter latching onto the Indian’s sumptuous through ball in the third minute itself.
Apart from the goal, Brandon was enterprising in midfield and kept the Al Rayyan SC midfielders honest. On occasions, he was the first to initiate the forward press, whereas at other times, he was seen organising those around him.
Jorge Ortiz, on the other hand, was a constant menace on the left flank and tied the Al Rayyan SC defenders in knots. He was a bundle of energy throughout and barely put a foot wrong. The Spaniard’s off-the-ball positioning was also top-notch as he kept exploiting the gaps between the opposition's full backs and centre backs.
Seriton Fernandes – another player who sat out the match against Persepolis FC, was incredible. He offered an attacking outlet down the flanks and was crucial as the Gaurs kept Al Rayyan SC pinned down in their own half.
#ACL2021
└Perfect deliveries
└ @FCGOAofficial
└ @BrandonFern10 pic.twitter.com/t4nNjGxvwb— #ACL2021 (@TheAFCCL) April 27, 2021
Glan Martins, James Donachie, and Ivan Gonzales, meanwhile, were solid for the entire duration of the game. They formed the compact core FC Goa desired and helped snuff out several attacks. Though the pair of Donachie and Gonzales switched off fractionally towards the end, they were vital in ensuring that the Gaurs only conceded a solitary goal.
Edu Bedia, as always, was a calming influence in the middle of the park. On numerous instances, he asked for the ball, despite being under pressure. He then wriggled his way past challenges and ensured that the hosts didn’t lose any attacking impetus and kept the ball ticking. Defensively, he got himself on the end of several loose balls and bit into challenges, meaning that FC Goa didn’t get overrun in midfield.
Thus, on a day when the Gaurs craved for their big players to stand up, they did and quite spectacularly at that. To that end then, it perhaps seems a bit unfair that they could only share the spoils, despite a heroic performance from most of their marquee stars.
Nevertheless, for someone like Juan Ferrando, who is itching to stamp his authority on the continental stage, the propensity of his premier players rising to the occasion, might be a significant solace.
from Firstpost Sports Latest News https://ift.tt/32Oqb3p
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