FC Goa will play against Chennaiyin FC on Saturday with an aim to get back to winning ways. The Gaurs’ two-game winning run was haulted on Wednesday when they succumbed 0-1 to ATK Mohun Bagan.
The upcoming game pits them against a familiar foe, against whom they have had the upper hand in recent times. However, it was Chennaiyin who sent the Gaurs crashing out in last season’s competition.
Saturday gives both the clubs a chance at giving their respective seasons a much-needed thrust. A win for Goa will propel them up into the top four, whilst Chennai will look to win their first match since their season opener.
Here are 10 things to know about the thrilling encounter that awaits us on the weekend:
0 – In 18 encounters between the sides in all competitions, no game has ever ended in a goalless draw. In fact, only 1 of the 15 has ever ended in a stalemate between the two sides.
2 – The Gaurs have lost two matches this season. Coincidentally, the losses have come only in games where FC Goa have failed to find the back of the net.
4 – Chennaiyin come into the game on the back of a 4-game winless run. Last season’s finalists started off on the right note with a win in their season-opener against Jamshedpur. They have winless since – succumbing to Bengaluru and Mumbai whilst eeking out draws against Kerala and NorthEast.
5 – Goals have been a guarantee when the two sides meet. 5 goals or more have been scored in six of the last eight times that Goa and Chennaiyin have come across each other.
6 – The Gaurs have had the upper hand in these games in recent times, winning six of the last seven meetings. They were also the first to strike during this streak. Goa has scored first in six of the last seven times the two teams have met – winning every time they have done so. The only time Chennaiyin struck first (and won) was when they ran out winners in the first leg of the semi-finals last season.
7 – Chennaiyin have had a tough time keeping the Gaurs at bay. The Blues have not been able to keep a clean sheet against FC Goa in their last seven meetings. Their last clean sheet was in 2018 in the second leg of the semi-final in the 2017-18 season.
9 – The two teams were involved in the highest-scoring game in ISL history. The 2016 season saw the Gaurs run out 5-4 winner over Chennaiyin in a thriller. Rafael Coelho and Sahil Tavora ended with a brace each on that day whilst Jofre scored one as well for the Gaurs.
10 – With his clean sheet against Odisha FC, Mohammad Nawaz became the youngest keeper in ISL history to 10 clean sheets.
40 – The Gaurs average 2.22 goals against Chennaiyin in all competitions. FC Goa have scored 40 goals in the 18 games they have come up against Chennaiyin FC.
431 – Edu Bedia continues to lead the league in terms of passes completed. He is also one of two players to be in the top 10 in terms of both passes and tackles in the ISL.
