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Mapusa
Defending Champions Salgaocar FC will look for nothing short of three points when they take on newly promoted Curtorim Gymkhana in their opening fixture of the 2015-16 Pro league campaign. Having beaten Sporting Clube de Goa over the weekend to claim the Champions Trophy, the Greens will look to continue their winning ways and kick-start their campaign on a positive note.
Coach Malcolm Thomson started the game against Sporting with a fairly young side at the game over the weekend but made sure he gave all of his players on the bench a run out, including the 2 Scottish players, Darryl Duffy and Martin Scott. What was evident though through the course of the 90 minutes was the attacking intent the Greens showed and the desire to gain possession by pressing high up the pitch.
Since taking over, the Scottish gaffer has stressed the importance of developing players and will be hoping some of the youngsters make the most of the opportunity provided to them during the Goa Professional League.
Captain Darryl Duffy echoed the coaches’ sentiments at the press briefing held on the eve of the Charity match whilst adding that with the absence of the Federation Cup this year, the Goa league was the only platform available to the seniors to keep fit and avail of some match practice.
Curtorim Gymkhana are a fairly unknown opposition as they will be making their debut in the Goa Professional League since the league took on its current avatar in 1998. The two sides did, however, meet in the quarter-finals of the GFA knock-out tournament last year and despite the missed opportunities, the Greens ran out comfortable 2-0 winners on the day.
Given the upsets in the early stages of the league, Salgaocar FC will look to avoid any complacency as they set out to defend their Goa Professional League title.
