Welcome to Sportstar's highlights of this evening's FC Goa vs Mumbai City FC Indian Super League (ISL 2021-22) clash played at the GMC Athletic Stadium in Goa.
That was all for the night. We will be back tomorrow when ATK Mohun Bagan takes on Bengaluru FC. Thanks for tuning in and take very good care of yourselves.
ATKMB vs BFC Preview:
Updated Points Table:
Updated Stats Table:
Match Report:
9:05 pm: Head-to-Head - FC Goa and Mumbai City FC have met 19 times in the past and the Gaurs have come out victorious seven times, while Mumbai City FC has won and drawn six times each.
The last time the two sides met, it was Mumbai City FC which won comfortably with a 3-0 margin of victory. In case you missed it, we have got you covered.
Read the highlights here: ISL 2021-22 Highlights Mumbai City FC vs FC Goa
8:35 pm: Starting Line-ups are out!
FC Goa Starting XI: Naveen Kumar (GK), Ivan Gonzalez, Dylan Fox, Seriton Fernandes,Aiban Dohling, Alexander Jesuraj, Princeton Rebello, Alberto Noguera, Makan Chothe, Devendra Murgaonkar, Airam Cabrera
Mumbai City FC Starting XI: Mohamad Nawaz (GK), Rahul Bheke, Mehtab Singh, Mourtada Fall (C), Vignesh Dakshinamurthy, Bradden Inman, Cassio Gabriel, Lalengmawia, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Bipin Singh, Igor Angulo.
MATCH PREVIEW
Des Buckingham had taken over a side that had won the Indian Super League title and league winners’ shield. After 17 games, his team, Mumbai City FC finds itself on borrowed time, clinging to the fourth spot with 28 points – just one more than challenger Kerala Blasters.
Mumbai City has earned 10 points from its last five matches and comes into the match after a win over SC East Bengal in its last match.
“We now have three games with one three out of four and I've spoken all along about making sure we took the momentum into the final part of the season and that's something we feel that we certainly have now,” Buckingham told the press before the match.
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“Going into the next game against Goa, it's very much just focusing on what's in front of our face, because there will be a very tough side and they play some fantastic football season.”
“We know they're a team that likes possession. We've played them at the start of the season and that generally hasn't changed. They've always been a club that wants a lot of the ball, but we need to be smart about how we set up to press them as we did in the first game and then we need to make sure that we put our stamp on our game,” he added.
Mumbai City has been clinical with set-pieces this season and has scored 25 per cent of its goals (8) through the same – third highest goal tally from set-pieces this season, only behind Hyderabad FC and Bengaluru FC. The architect of the set pieces has been its midfield talisman Ahmed Jahouh.
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The 33-year-old Moroccan has assisted seven times in 15 matches, but an injury forced him to be substituted against Jamshedpur FC – the only match Mumbai lost in its last five fixtures. Ahead of the match against Goa, Buckingham hinted at his return, but a confirmation remained nebulous.
“Jahouh’s scans have come back and he's not too bad so he could be in contention for tomorrow. The decision we need to make on him is we've got three games left and we also have Champions League, so the last thing I want to do is put him at risk for a longer term. So, we'll make that call with our medical team on whether or not to involve him tomorrow,” he said.
FC Goa, on the other hand, has had a poor run of fate as well as football in the 2021-22 season, which transpired as scant hopes from assistant coach Clifford Miranda at the pre-match press conference.
"It is always difficult when you have nothing to play for. But inside our team, each player's performance is very important for the club,” he said.
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“We need to keep working hard and keep fighting. The players also need to keep themselves motivated. This is their profession.”
FC Goa, which won the 2019-20 ISL League Winners' Shield and has been a three-time finalist, has had its fortunes turned upside down, with it coming into the tournament after winning the Durand Cup. Since then, the Gaurs have lost its manager, Juan Ferrando, who defected to ATK Mohun Bagan and won just four of the 18 matches this season so far.
This is just the second time that Goa has not been able to secure a place in the semifinal playoffs.
The teams already eliminated, though, pose a serious threat for contenders. ATK Mohun Bagan dropped points against already eliminated Odisha and Mumbai City FC will try and avoid a similar fate – something that remains essential for its chances to finish in the top-four.
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