Fatorda (Goa), Dec 19 (IANS) FC Goa take on defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant in an Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 match at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Friday with both teams hoping to build their current form and maintain the momentum.
FC Goa will aim to improve their record against the Mariners, having lost five of their eight meetings (W2 D1) in the ISL, including a narrow 0-1 defeat in their most recent encounter on February 14, 2024.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant’s unbeaten run has seen them win seven and draw one of their last eight ISL games, and a win in this fixture would equal their record for the longest winning streak (5) in the competition’s history, achieved twice before (2021 and 2023). For FC Goa, who have scored in each of their last 11 home games, this match presents an opportunity to set a new record for their longest home goal-scoring streak.
The Mariners top the league standings with 26 points from 11 matches, winning eight and drawing twice, whereas the Gaurs are placed fourth with 19 points from the same number of games. Both these teams have been in equally efficient forms upfront, with the Kolkata-based team netting 22 times in the competition thus far, as compared to the 21 of the Manolo Marquez-coached side.
However, the visitors have been comparatively better organised at the back, conceding 10 goals as opposed to the 15 of FC Goa. Mohun Bagan Super Giant have kept the most clean sheets (6) in the league, and the Gaurs rank fourth in this regard (3).
FC Goa on the other hand have a dynamic frontline with versatility in attack. The Gaurs have seen nine different goal-scorers this season, a tally only bettered by Mohun Bagan Super Giant’s 10. This collective effort will be important as they face one of the strongest defences in the league.
The clash will also be a challenge for FC Goa head coach Manolo Marquez, who has an uninspiring record against Mohun Bagan Super Giant, winning just three of his 12 meetings with the Mariners (D5 L4). His win rate of 25% against them is his second-lowest against teams he has faced multiple times (18.2% vs Mumbai City FC).
Marquez admitted that the Mariners have a nice mix of international and domestic stars that make them a strong opponent. “I feel that we are playing one of the strongest teams in the competition. Mohun Bagan have most of the top national team players, and they’ve spent a lot on getting good foreigners too,” Marquez said.
Should Mohun Bagan Super Giant score two goals in this game, they will equal their highest goal tally after 12 games in an ISL season (24 goals in 2021-22). Jamie Maclaren tops the charts for them with four strikes, whereas the trio of Jason Cummings, Subhasish Bose, and Manvir Singh follow with three goals each to their name.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant are tenacious tacklers and have been vigilant in breaking the opposition’s offenses, as they are the team with the second-most successful tackles (136) in ISL 2024-25, only behind the 158 of Kerala Blasters FC. Lalengmawia Ralte leads the charge in this front for the Mariners, with 26 successful tackles – followed by Bose (21), Asish Rai (17), and Liston Colaco (13).
Mohun Bagan Super Giant head coach Jose Molina expressed that his team never gives up the fight irrespective of if the game is going against them. “The mentality of Mohun Bagan Super Giant is to fight every game till the end. We have to attack and defend well, communicate properly, but most importantly we need to keep fighting to get the win,” Molina said.
In the head-to-head series, FC Goa have won twice, whereas Mohun Bagan Super Giant have emerged victorious five times in the eight times these two teams have faced each other in the ISL. An average of 2.5 goals has been scored per match in this fixture.
–IANS
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