ISL 2022-23: We are in the fight for the playoffs – FC Goa head coach Carlos Pena

FC Goa head coach Carlos Pena has expressed confidence his team is in the fight to qualify for the playoffs in the ongoing Hero Indian Super League 2022-23 ahead of their crucial fixture against reigning champions Hyderabad FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Goa on Thursday.

The Gaurs are currently in the fifth position with six wins, one draw, and five losses in their 12 matches. Thus, they have a total of 19 points in the league and they will have to come up with their best against the Nizams.

Meanwhile, FC Goa has conceded 16 goals in the 12 matches, which is the most among the top five teams. Pena feels it is a concern but apart from that, they have been performing consistently.

“I think we are on the right track. We have improved minute by minute and the team has been working very well. Now, it’s time to keep our focus in the second part of the league. The only change is that we conceded some easy goals, but I think the team was good in defense, in Jamshedpur (against Jamshedpur FC) as well as Kolkata (against ATK Mohun Bagan), and before this too the defense has been good,” he stated in the official pre-match press conference.

Pena feels it would have been a different story if they had managed to win their previous match against ATK Mohun Bagan, which they lost by 2-1.

“After losing in Kolkata, maybe the people think that FC Goa has problems for the top four or the top six. Okay, but imagine if we won in Kolkata, we would have been in the third position. So, it’s just one game that is changing the mentality of the people, of the players, of the team,” he added.

Pena admitted they have in the building stage and the team has improved a lot since the beginning of the ninth season of the league.

“I think it’s common in football, it happens when you are building a team, when you are building a project. I used to say that we need to think of where we came from, you know, last season this team finished in the ninth position and it is difficult to build again a winning mentality,” he expressed.

“We have improved a lot of things from the start of the season. I think the team shows a lot of competitiveness, we are very recognisable in the team, everyone knows what FC Goa is capable of. But of course, at this moment, we are conceding goals, we are having mistakes that are costing us some important points,” he added.

The Spaniard concluded by saying it is imperative that the team pays importance to their mistakes and correct them in order to qualify for the playoffs.

“It’s not about consistency, it’s about being focused for the whole 90 minutes. And it’s important that we pay attention to those mistakes. But this is part of the process. This is part of football, I simply say I see this is not a moment to do a drama. So we are in a way, we are close to the top four, we are in the fight for the playoffs,” he said.