ISL 2022-23: We will face Mumbai City FC without any fear: FC Goa head coach Carlos Pena

FC Goa head coach Carlos Pena has stated they will face Mumbai City FC without any fear at the Mumbai Football Arena, Mumbai on Thursday. The Gaurs have won four matches in the ongoing season while they have suffered three losses.

Meanwhile, FC Goa hasn’t won against Mumbai City in the last six meetings of the Hero ISL and they would want to turn the tables. Goa would want to come up with a collective effort against the Islanders, who are currently at the top of the points table with five wins and three drawn matches.

Thus, FC Goa will have to bring their best to the pitch to inculcate the first defeat to Mumbai City in the ongoing season.

Analyzing the team’s performance in the ongoing season, Pena said, “I think our start to the season has been very good, not to forget, this team finished 9th last season. We have started really well, and we are in a good position, but we have to improve many things. When I see the standings, I see two teams that are consistent, like Mumbai City FC and Hyderabad FC. Then I see a group of teams that will fight because the league is so tight, and we (FC Goa) will fight. So, the teams that manages this fight better will be in the race in the end. However, there has been a positive shift in the team since the game against Bengaluru FC. I can see the dynamics improving among the players and the squad. We need to keep working hard and believing in ourselves, as we have a challenge ahead of us on Thursday and it’s another important game for us.”

Pena feels Mumbai City FC has been playing really well and it is going to be a challenge for his team against a tough opponent. The Spaniard believes it will be imperative for his team to score first in order to manage the game.

Pena added, “We are facing a very good team in Mumbai City FC. They are having a very good season, it is their second season with the same coach, and the way they play and the way the players know each other, they have started the season in a very good way. Concerning scoring first, it is important to score first because then we can force the opponent to allow more space. But thinking about the three games that we lost, I think we created many chances and were unlucky not to finish those chances. We showed good ambition and character to come back. We must manage situations carefully because we know many things will come back to haunt us. We have to score first if we want to manage the game well and win on Thursday.”

As per the new ISL schedule, matches are played from Thursday to Sunday and thus the players have more recovery time. Pena revealed he is happy with the way the new schedule has been made.

He concluded, “Yeah, of course. It’s much better if you have more time to recover the players, to prepare for the next game, and to analyze the previous game. So time is always important for coaches, for teams, and for the process. This week is the week when we have less time to prepare for the game against Mumbai city FC because players till Monday were still tired because of the game against Bengaluru FC. But well, we have to face the weeks as they come and yeah, I’m happy with the way they have organized the schedule.”