ISL 2017: 5 talking points from FC Goa vs Mohun Bagan warmup match

The fourth edition of the Indian Super League is all set to get underway on the 17th of this month, with the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi set to host the match between Kerala Blasters and ATK to kick-start the biggest extravaganza in Indian football. However, on the other hand, the I-League's schedule remains uncertain and once again, the AIFF have failed to give a clear roadmap for the I-League.

At the moment, ISL teams are undergoing intense training sessions in India and as part of their warm ups, teams are facing I-league sides to test their strategy and prepare ahead of the season.

Here, we take a look at what happened in the preseason match between FC Goa and Mohun Bagan, where the former managed a 2-0 triumph over the I-League giants.

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#1 Empty galleries

A snap from FC Goa vs Mohun Bagan

Though the match was open for fans and entry was free, the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda saw a poor turnout for the match. FC Goa were supposed to unveil their entire squad at the stadium but due to the fans' no-show, they cancelled their unveiling ceremony.

Earlier, when they faced East Bengal at the Bambolim stadium, the match was behind closed doors and many fans flooded the Facebook page of FC Goa requesting an open match when they face Mohun Bagan next.

It is sad to see that the craze for FC Goa was not there as in the first season as people are starting to think that the ISL is also going to taste a slow death as the NFL and I-League. However, it will be unfair to assess or arrive at a conclusion simply based on what happened in a preseason friendly.

#2 Poor Mohun Bagan defence

Team Mohun Bagan

The Mohun Bagan defence lead by Nigerian Kingsley was feeble and a defensive lapse from Kingsley cost the Mariners first goal. Spanish player Manuel Lanzarote capitalised on the situation to give the Gaurs a lead as early as in the match.

Mohun Bagan must be cursing themselves as earlier they released Brazilian Eduardo in order to sign Kingsley and his performance in the preseason so far has been underwhelming.

The Gaurs tested the shaky Mohun Bagan defence a number of times and managed a second goal in the 21st minute through Spaniard Corominas.

#3 Edu - The midfield machine

Edu Bedia

The 28-year-old Spaniard was the pillar of strength for FC Goa. He played a crucial role in the central midfield for the Gaurs. His sublime aerial through ball to Lanzarote gave the Gaurs first goal. Behind every FC Goa attack, his sparkling performance was there.

He was an engine in the midfield who worked as a supplier for wingers and attackers. His technical skills and ball composition were stunning and great to watch.

The Edu-Lanzarote combo created numerous goal-scoring opportunities for FC Goa against the lacklustre Mariners. Soon after the first goal, Edu Bedia chipped a fine ball to unmarked Lanzarote but his shot just flew over the crossbar.

A fabulous counter-attacking from the home side saw Edu feeding the ball to Mandar Rao on the left flank and ultimately causing the second goal for the Gaurs through Corominas, who successfully found the back of the net after a square pass from Mandar.

Edu Bedia is a product of Spanish team Real Santander and played for their senior team as well. Before signing a two year deal with FC Goa, he was with Spanish team Real Zaragoza. The technically skilled player believed to be playing a crucial role in Sergio Lobera's plans for the forthcoming season.

#4 One and only Sony Norde!

Sony Norde

The only player who made an impact in the Mohun Bagan team was none other than Sony Norde. As always, his skills and ball control abilities rescued Mohun Bagan from further embarrassment. The rare scoring chances that Mohun Bagan created were through this 28-year-old Haiti international.

The Mariners' captain was brilliant on the ball and it can be said that retaining Sony Norde has been the best thing that Mohun Bagan have done in this season, especially after they risked themselves by releasing players like Eduardo and Katsumi Yusa for Kingsley and Yuta Kinowaki. Though he was unavailable for the CFL campaign, he seems to have quickly gelled with teammates.

#5 The promising FC Goa youngsters

Team FC Goa (Image courtesy: FC Goa)

The biggest strength of the FC Goa side is their talented pool of young Indian players, consisting of players like Brandon Fernandes, Mandar Rao Desai, Chinglensana Singh and Liston Colaco. They all were impressive in this match also and are future prospects for Team India.

Brandon Fernandes, who is still awaiting his first India cap, is arguably one of the best midfielders in the country at the moment and had a few shots on target in the match.

Mandar Rao also did a brilliant job and assisted the second goal. His instinctive run into the opposition box created room for it.

Chinglensana Singh is an ideal left back who has got the required physique and skills. The 20-year-old Manipuri defender could create some hard time for the opposition for sure.

The spectacular performance in the Goa Pro League and in the Santosh Trophy opened the door for Liston Colaco to FC Goa. Though initially he was with the FC Goa-B team, his performance in the Goa Pro League again caught the eye of Sergio Lobera and earned a promotion to the senior squad. He created as many as three chances in this match and unfortunately could not capitalize any of them. However, he has got good skills and will be a strong addition to the senior squad.