Goa: After a last-minute victory against Jamshedpur FC, FC Goa will face Hyderabad FC on Wednesday (December 30) and head coach Juan Ferrando wants to end the year on a high. The Gaurs had a good six days break and are looking fresh but Ferrando has warned that Hyderabad can come hard with full of surprises next year.
“For me, it’s to improve game by game, but we are putting our 100% in every match. Most importantly we have to work as a team. In this short period of time, it is very difficult to cope up with the matches, training and all others, so it’s not easy to get three points in every match,” Ferrando said in the pre-match press conference.
The two teams aren’t very far from each other in the points table. While Goa stand at sixth with 11 points, Hyderabad are two spots down with nine points. Speaking about the opposition, Ferrando said he knows many from the opposition camp.
“Not at all surprised. I know many of the players from that Hyderabad team. Certainly has huge potential and they are performing that way. I know Liston Colaco as he was a part of Goa. But mark my words in the second round, they will be a surprise package on this league,” said the Spanish gaffer.
“Tomorrow’s game will be very very crucial game for us. Hyderabad is a strong side as I have mentioned before and most importantly they have more games in their hand so it won’t be easy against them, but we will give our 100 per cent.”
FC Goa have one of the worst defensive records this season. They have only one clean sheet after eight matches. “I have two points here to make this statement. First is, if we concede three and score four it won’t be much matter of concern. But yeah we have conceded unnecessary free kicks and penalties which have cost us in the matches.
“In that I will say we need to understand the spaces before conceding a foul. Other teams like ATK Mohun Bagan, Mumbai City FC, Bengaluru has a set team for a long time now and they know their positions, we hope that we will learn that fast and try to rectify from our previous mistakes,” he said. The good news is Lenny Rodriguez is fit to start again for the Gaurs.
