ISL feature: Top-four finish is tough now, admits FC Goa coach Derrick Pereira

This
being
the
Gaurs’
14th
match
of
the
ISL
2021-22
season,
they
have
a
total
of
seven
more
games
to
make
a
difference
in
what
has
been
an
underwhelming
season
to
say
the
least.

With
three
wins,
five
draws
and
five
losses,
the
team
from
Goa
are
currently
at
the
ninth
place
on
the
ISL
points
table
with
14
points.

ISL
POINTS
TABLE
|

RESULTS

“A
top-four
finish
is
tough
now,
but
we’ll
now
take
things
one
match
at
a
time.
We’ll
keep
working
hard
and
giving
our
best.
We’re
a
team
that
shouldn’t
be
at
the
position
where
we’re
in
right
now,”
Pereira
told

FC
Goa
Media
ahead
of
the
Jamshedpur
clash.

Pereira
was
in
awe
of
the
opposition
whom
the
Gaurs
have
to
play
on
Friday.

ISL:
Jamshedpur
FC
vs
FC
Goa:
Preview,
Team
News,
Timings,
Where
to
Watch,
Live
Streaming
Info

“Jamshedpur
FC
are
a
good
team
overall.
They
had
some
very
good
games
as
well
and
have
a
good
style
of
play.

“On
a
good
day,
they
look
very
strong
but
we
need
to
go
in
with
a
mentality
of
performing
to
the
best
of
our
abilities.
We
would
be
looking
for
loopholes
and
would
try
to
get
a
win
in
tomorrow’s
match.”

The
shrewd
taskmaster
also
revealed
that
Glan
Martins
has
been
ruled
out
ahead
of
the
Jamshedpur
clash,
with
an
injury.

“Glan
Martins
will
not
be
available
for
selection
in
tomorrow’s
game,”
the
gaffer
said.
“We’re
still
working
his
case
with
the
medical
team,
so
that
he
can
be
back
with
the
team
as
soon
as
possible.”

The
Gaurs
are
currently
languishing
at
ninth
in
the
ISL
points
table.
However,
the
intense
competition
in
the
league
makes
it
possible
for
Pereira
and
his
boys
to
still
make
it
to
the
play-offs,
provided
they
get
some
wins
in
the
upcoming
matches.

As
things
stand,
they
are
only
four
points
below
the
play-off
spots
and
only
six
points
separate
them
from
the
table-toppers.

Goa’s
opponents
Jamshedpur,
have
impressed
so
far
in
the
ongoing
league
season.
With
five
wins,
four
draws
and
two
defeats,
JFC
are
currently
in
third
place
with
19
points.

A
win
will
help
the
Gaurs
to
climb
to
eighth
place.
A
draw
or
a
loss,
on
the
other
hand,
will
seriously
dent
their
hopes
of
qualifying
for
the
play-offs
for
the
fifth
successive
season.

On
the
other
hand,
Jamshedpur
last
played
a
game
on
January
11,
after
which
they
had
been
unable
to
train
or
feature
in
matches
till
recently,
due
to
the
coronavirus
(COVID-19)
outbreak.
This
lack
of
practice
could
trouble
Jamshedpur
when
they
take
to
the
pitch
on
Friday
evening.

The
Gaurs,
on
the
otherhand,
are
on
a
three-game
winless
sequence.
The
unavailability
of
key
players
and
certain
results
not
going
their
way
have
put
the
Gaurs
in
a
spot
of
bother
–
but
if
they
manage
to
take
home
the
three
points
against
Jamshedpur
will
make
the
rest
of
the
league
interesting
once
again.

The
Gaurs
will
be
still
hoping
to
draw
inspiration
from
their
performance
two
seasons
back
when
they
finished
as
group
toppers
in
ISL,
by
virtue
of
which
they
became
the
first
Indian
club
to
make
it
to
the
Asian
Football
Confederation
(AFC)
Champions
League.
Game
on!
Bring
it
on!