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FC Goa left ATK gazing at a preordained exit from the ISL with a comprehensive 3-0 victory at the Fatorda Stadium.
Not only did goals from star man Ferran Corominas (2) and a first-minute strike from Jackichand Singh pile misery on ATK, but also steered Goa to second place on the table with 28 points from 15 outings, just three behind pacesetters Bengaluru FC.
With almost 70% of possession, 22 efforts on goal out of which 12 were on target and the fierce nature that they usually possess, Sergio Lobera's men underpinned what they are known for and what we should expect from them heading into the knockout stages, as they are possibly just three points away from a berth in the semis.
ATK meanwhile, can only qualify if an otherworldly essence blesses their case, as they have only recorded 21 points thus far in 16 matches.
On that note, let's take a look at the major talking points from Goa's victory over ATK.
#1 FC Goa fly out of the blocks as Jackichand scores
Right from the outset, Goa upped the pace as you’d expect. In recent games, it looked like the Gaurs had lost their vigour going forward due to a couple of goalless draws, but Sergio Lobera and co. were having none of it here in front of their fans.
Just about 54 seconds into the game, Goa’s talisman, Ferran Corominas, exploited the right flank and marauded forward with purpose. The striker cut back and laid it on a platter for Jackichand Singh in the middle. The latter made no mistake and put his side’s nose in front.
A few moments later, Mandar found himself free on the left side. The winger charged ahead and powered it in for Brandon Fernandes, who saw his final ball blocked by a dark blue shirt.
Just under five minutes after the attack, Mandar was again in the middle of all the action as he flip-flapped past Pritam Kotal, outpaced him and fizzed a ball across to the six-yard box, where Coro lay in the wait. The striker got the faintest of touches to it, and therefore, the ball went just wide.
In the 20th minute, Coro himself loaded one on and tested Arindam, but the ATK shot-stopped stood tall to deny the number 9. The bottom line of the first few exchanges of the game was that Goa established complete control on the ball and proceedings.
#2 Wingers run riot for the hosts, while ATK struggle in the wide areas
What was interesting to see in the first 45 minutes was the number of times the Goa wingers and midfielders got in behind Steve Coppell’s back line. Time and time again, Mandar and Jacki meticulously whipped balls into dangerous areas, causing a world full of problems for the ATK defence.
As aforementioned, the likes of Mandar got in behind way too many times and created massive opportunities, which could have led to a bigger, more humiliating scoreline as far as ATK are concerned.
The presence of Ahmed Jahouh most certainly played a huge part, as the Moroccan sat the base of midfield, protracted his own defensive line and sprayed passes to the likes of Brandon Fernandes, Jacki and the skipper Mandar.
Not to mention, Coro had a great time occupying the wide areas. The ISL’s top goal-scorer occupied the flank many a time, bought the extra few seconds for his teammates and displayed relentless footwork and balance. Surely, it’s not just all about the goals when it comes to Coro.
#3 Goa continue from where they left off as Coro hits the double
ATK massively struggled in the wider areas of the pitch, as their full-backs were often done for good, beaten by some exquisite dribbling and at times, seen way out of position. Moreover, they were far off the pace when it came to midfield.
The same continued in the second half, as Goa enjoyed loads of space to run at in the middle thirds of the pitch. It was almost as if ATK were begging the hosts to run the midfield and narrow down their back line to a larger extent with every single passage of play.
On the back of a few sublime passes that were initiated by Coro, Mandar fired one in at Arindam, who scuffed the ball. When the shot was struck, Edu Bedia was offside, but Coro, who was next to the Spaniard, remained on. And without any fuss from three yards out with just a man to beat, the sharpshooter doubled Goa’s advantage and most importantly, knocked the stuffing out of ATK.
He then scored a penalty in the 81st minute, planting the ball into the left bottom corner, where he was never, ever in doubt.
#4 ATK lacked the pace while going forward
To say the least, ATK were just too slow to react. The two early goals in both the halves were a clear testament of the same, as the home team were allowed too much freedom to operate in the middle. Coro and Co. were offered ample time to lift their heads up and pick a pass.
But having said that, what about ATK going forward? In terms of comparisons with the hosts, they were heads and heels apart, as Goa racked up chance after chance while playing quick, expansive and free-flowing football.
In the first half, there were hardly a couple of chances for the visitors, but apart from one fierce strike from distance by Edu Garcia, there was nothing too daunting for Naveen Kumar. Garcia had another shy on goal but was denied for the second time in as many minutes.
There were many occasions where the ATK players could have committed themselves in advanced positions, but that didn’t happen due to the lack of pace. It was either a long ball down the channel or a wide pass for which not many occupied the six-yard box.
Goa aren’t known for their defensive structure and approach, and even then, with all the acres of space provided, ATK couldn’t break their duck.
#5 The top 4 might be all but decided now
After the results in the last three days in the ISL, it is safe to say that the top 4 might be all but decided. Let’s begin with ATK, first.
With five wins and six draws in 16 matches, the Kolkata-based side is on 6th place with 21 points, six behind fourth-placed Mumbai City. Now for them to progress, they will have to win both their games and hope Mumbai and NorthEast lose all their remaining fixtures, which at the moment, only seems like a mathematical possibility.
Bengaluru FC are on top with 31 points from 15 games, and no side in the league is arguably as well-drilled and settled as them. FC Goa are three behind them, and just a win away from qualification.
The Highlanders and Mumbai have played 16 each and are on 27 points, and should they come out on top in one out of the remaining couple of fixtures, they’d qualify as well.
Jamshedpur FC have recorded 23 points from 15 games, and with three wins, they can surely strengthen their bid for a place in the top 4.
However, one of their remaining three fixtures is against league leaders Bengaluru, so you’d ideally not place your money on them. Combine that with relatively better defensively disciplined sides in NorthEast and Mumbai, and the argument might just be right.
ALSO SEE: ISL Schedule | ISL Results | ISL Points table
