FC Goa are back on Asia’s grand stage.
Sans their talismanic defender and captain Sandesh Jhinghan, FC Goa face a stern opener against Iraqi giants Al Zawraa in their AFC Asian Champions League 2 Group stage match at home at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, in Fatorda, Margoa, on Wednesday.
Four years after their maiden AFC Champions League campaign -- one that played out behind closed doors during the pandemic -- the Gaurs finally get to soak in the continental buzz with their fans in the stands.
Manolo Marquez’s side battled past Al Seeb in the playoff with a 2-1 win, but they now step into a group that also houses Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr and Tajikistan’s Istiklol. Goa wear the underdog tag heavily, but they’re not shying away from the challenge.
"That was an important win for everyone but now we can play and enjoy six important games for us. We will try to win every game and this is what every club wants, to play at a higher level," Marquez said at the pre-match press briefing in Fatorda, on Wednesday.
"We've been preparing quite well. We knew about a month ago, the dates for these fixtures. We used the time to prepare ourselves physically and mentally," FC Goa midfielder Sahil Tavora said the media briefing.
"We have some new players join the squad, so we used this time to gel better and they are acclimitising to the conditions. We have prepared well and we hope tomorrow will be the start of good six very nice games to play," Tavora added.
The build-up hasn’t been smooth. Jhingan's ouster with a facial injury has Marquez counting on his six foreign recruits – David Timor, Pol Moreno and Javi Siverio among them – to bring calm heads and muscle in the spine. Against their physically superior opponents, the Gaurs will have to bring out their A game, with discipline in midfield and set-pieces on the money.
Stating that Jhinghan is out for Wednesday's game, Marquez said: "We will play with more calm. Both teams have a possibility to win. It's a very difficult game for us but it will be difficult for them too."
For Al Zawraa, this is a sixth ACL appearance. For Goa, it’s about belief, compactness, and capitalising on moments.
FC Goa played a practice game against Mohun Bagan last week and Marquez said his team has improved in some areas.
"For me, to win or not now is not most important. For me, if you want to grow as a club, you must try to qualify every season for the Asian competition. If you want to grow you need to qualify for Asia. For me the Super Cup is more important because we can qualify for Asian competition. This competition is very good and we will play well in this competition," Marquez said.
Speaking of the fans' importance in FC Goa bagging three points at home, Tavora said: "Both teams will have a chance tomorrow and I think the fans will play a part tomorrow to we hope they'll be here back us and push us and give us that edge. And hopefully we'll get the three points here at home."
Al Zawraa arrive with pedigree. A summer overhaul saw 12 signings and a new coach in Abdul Ghani Shahzad. Their squad boasts eight Iraq internationals, including captain and goalkeeper Jalal Hassan. Striker Reziq Bani Hani and playmaker Mohammed Qasim will test Goa’s backline, while their aerial threat looms large.
"We are focussed in this competition. We are coming here to get three points. We respect FC Goa," Al Zawraa Coach, Abdul Ghani Shahad said at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
"Our team is ready for this competition. We prepared for this tournament with four practice matches before landing here," Shahad added.
The tactical battles will be intriguing: Timor patrolling spaces against Qasim’s guile, Moreno wrestling Bani Hani, and Siverio’s penalty-box instincts up against Jalal Hassan’s authority. Expect Goa to stretch the pitch wide, look for quick switches, and cash in on set plays. Marquez will demand focus in the opening quarter and after the restart, with bench energy set to play a part late on.
Speaking on the challenge of playing in India, Al Zawraa's keeper and captain Hassan said, "Playing away can be more competitive than playing at home. For us players we are ready for each challenge and we hope tomorrow we can make no mistake."
With Fatorda buzzing and continental football back where it belongs, the Gaurs will hope to make a statement and prove they belong among Asia’s elite.
"The fans are our 12th man. We felt it against Al Seeb, in the last 10 minutes we were defending, when they were attacking, the fans help in moments like that to give extra. Tomorrow we need to make the most of this 12th man and we will give our best tomorrow," Tavora said.
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