ISL 2019-20: Hyderabad takes on Goa in crunch clash

Bottom-placed Hyderabad FC takes on fifth-placed FC Goa in a crucial league match in the ISL at the GMC Balayogi Stadium on Sunday.

Published : Dec 08, 2019 01:01 IST

Hyderabad FC coach Phil Brown with Adil Khan at the pre-match briefing ahead of the game against FC Goa.

Bottom-placed Hyderabad FC takes on fifth-placed FC Goa in a crucial league match in the Hero ISL at the GMC Balayogi Stadium here on Sunday night.

The home team, guided by head coach Phil Brown, is yet to dish out the brand of football which it promised before the start.

By all means, Hyderabad has been inconsistent from the start but after holding the defending champion, Bengaluru FC to a draw in the last game played here, the mood is upbeat.

Significantly, the host conceded 13 goals which should be a major area of concern for the think-tank. It will hope for an improved performance given the nine-day training the team got after the last match to make the necessary amends.

“We have a good mindset at the moment regardless of who is playing in that position even as the competition is at it’s best since I have been to India,” says Brown.

“The game with FC Goa is a challenge but we have the right players in the right position and we are confident that we will play a good game,” says the head coach. “We also need to get our combinations right, we have been changing it depending on the opposition,” he added.

Goan coach Sergio Lobera is pleased that he has the option to choose Hugo Boumous and Seiminlen Doungel, back from suspensions even as doubts persist on star striker Ferran Corominas’s fitness. Goa will be keen on increasing its tally of nine points from six games.

“This is the most difficult season in the last three years. The other teams have signed big players. All the teams are very competitive. We are better but the situation now is very competitive,” said Lobera.