FC Goa resume ISL campaign with home clash against Jamshedpur FC

Goa, November 26, 2023: As the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 season gathers momentum, FC Goa are set to host Jamshedpur FC in a highly anticipated contest on November 27, Monday, at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa.

The Gaurs, who were the toppers of the league points’ table till Saturday night, dropped back to second place after Kerala Blasters secured a 1-0 win over Hyderabad FC. Manolo Marquez’ boys will hence be motivated all the more to try and secure a win on Monday, as the three points will help them return to the summit of the standings.

Jamshedpur FC, who will be playing their seventh league game of the season, will be looking for a victory as well, with an aim to close the gap between themselves and the teams currently in the playoff spots and to set a tone for the remainder of their campaign.

The Gaffer Speaks

FC Goa head coach Manolo Marquez expressed his optimism about the upcoming game.

“It’s very early (to say where FC Goa will finish their league campaign, in terms of points or position on the points’ table), because even the table is not balanced – some teams have played only four games and we have played five so far, while some others have completed seven matches.

“That said, it’s better to have 30 points than 3, 5, 7 or 12. It’s hence very good to have started with four wins and a draw, but still we’ll have to play a total of 22 games in the league stage,” he said at the pre-match press conference on Sunday.

“Right now, we’re focused on Jamshedpur FC alone. If you look at their numbers, you’ll know that while they haven’t scored very often, they haven’t conceded many, either. They conceded three goals in their most recent match, but otherwise, it’s never been more than once.

“Jamshedpur are very good tactically, and it’s very difficult to enter their defensive third. But we’ll have 90-100 minutes to try and win this game, so let’s see,” the tactician said, when asked about their opponents.

The Numbers’ Game

Looking at the head-to-head record, FC Goa have a historical advantage over Jamshedpur FC, having won 9 out of 17 encounters. The Goan side have also been in impressive form this season, boasting 70% win percentage with 7 victories, 2 draws, and just 1 loss in 10 matches.

On the other hand, Jamshedpur FC are currently facing a challenging phase with a winless run of three games and no clean sheet in the last three outings. Their current form reflects in the standings, as they find themselves in tenth position on the ISL table with 5 points from 6 games.

FC Goa’s attacking prowess has been a highlight this league season, scoring a total of 9 goals in 5 games. A total of eight different players have found the back of the net for the Gaurs, which is a rather impressive achievement that would add to their confidence.

The Men in Orange have also showcased the best defensive record in ISL 2023-24 so far, conceding only 3 goals while also keeping 3 clean-sheets..

In contrast, Scott Cooper’s boys have struggled to find the back of the net, scoring only 4 goals in 6 games, which is the joint-worst in the league. The onus will be on their attacking unit to break through the hosts’ solid defence.

All eyes will now be on the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, where FC Goa aim to extend their unbeaten run and reestablish themselves at the top of the league table. Jamshedpur FC, meanwhile, will be desperate to turn their fortunes around and would surely be hoping for a positive result on Monday.

About FC Goa

FC Goa is a professional football club based out of Goa that competes in the Hero Indian Super League (ISL). Nicknamed the Gaurs, FC Goa has been one of the most consistently successful teams in the ISL – reaching 4 semi-finals and 2 finals in 9 seasons.

Heading into the 2023-24 season of the Hero ISL, FC Goa hold the record for the most goals, joint-most golden boots and most number of playoff appearances (6 in total) in the history of the competition.

In 2020, FC Goa also became the first team from India to qualify for the league stages of the AFC Champions League, by virtue of winning the first-ever Hero ISL League Winners Shield in the 2019-20 season.

The Gaurs’ trophy cabinet is further adorned by the 2019 Super Cup, the 2018-19 Goa Pro League, the 2020 Goa Police Cup and the 2021 Durand Cup.

Co-owned by Mr Jaydev Mody, Mr Akshay Tandon and Mr Virat Kohli, FC Goa is one of the few Indian clubs to have a complete youth development ecosystem. Its U13, U15, U17, U18, U20 and Developmental Teams compete at the highest levels in Goa and India.