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In their opening game of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 season, FC Goa came away with a 2-1 victory over East Bengal from the jaws of a draw. It was the Gaurs' first-ever ISL win in Kolkata since their inception. Now, Carlos Pena's men will have to quickly shift their focus to their next opponents, Chennaiyin FC.
Goa will square off against Thomas Brdaric's men at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on October 21, Friday. In the pre-match press conference, Pena stressed that while his team has great respect for Cheannaiyin, they fear no one in the league.
"Chennaiyin got two very good results against ATK Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC. They are going to be a very tough opponent. We respect them a lot but we're going without any fear. Respect everyone but fear no one. It's going to be a tough game for both teams but we will go for the three points whether we are at home or away."
In their opening game, the Marina Machans registered a2-1 victory against heavyweights ATK Mohun Bagan. In their next game, 10-man Chennai showed great resilience to hold Bengaluru FC to a 1-1 draw. Hence, the Gaurs will have to be wary of Chennaiyin FC and their fighting spirit.
“Our idea is going to be the same, no matter who we are facing" - FC Goa head coach Carlos Pena
Meanwhile, for the Gaurs, the clash against the Red and Gold Brigade was a display of their own resilience. Even after losing control of the game in the second half, FC Goa crawled back to take the three points through a late Edu Bedia free-kick.
Speaking about their opening game, Pena asserted:
“Our attitude against East Bengal is the biggest takeaway for me from that match. We were brave, went for the win right from kick-off and fought hard till the final whistle. The plan is the same once again – because we want the three points."
So far in the first two games, Thomas Brdaric's team have shown that they are happy to sit back and defend their lines before catching their opponents on the break.
When asked if FC Goa will change their approach against Chennaiyin FC? The Spaniard replied:
“Our idea is going to be the same, no matter who we are facing. The mentality should not change. Of course, you need to pay attention to certain aspects of our opponents’ game. We’ll be doing the same against Chennaiyin as well, where we analyse how they play and adapt accordingly."
With Chennaiyin FC playing in front of their home fans, the Gaurs will have yet another stern test.
