Jamshedpur FC had a tough start to 2021 with a loss against Kerala Blasters. It was indeed, a heartbreaking defeat for the Men of Steel as they looked to win another game to enter the top 4 and revive their unbeaten run.
After a tough night at Tilak Maidan, Jamshedpur will now move forward in the second leg of the season and focus on their match against FC Goa tomorrow night.
It has not been long since the two teams faced each other at Tilak Maidan in December 2020. The last time the teams shared the pitch, the Gaurs took the upper hand with a last minute lead thanks to Igor Angulo. The contest was a nail-biting fixture as both teams with one goal each in hand, attacked with ferocity, looking for chances to convert them into goals. Unfortunately, luck was not on Jamshedpur’s side as not only did the officials, unjustifiably, disallow a goal but around the last few minutes of the game, the Gaurs converted a corner into a goal, thus walking away with 3 points.
Now, as both teams will be clashing for the second time this season, let’s take a look at some of the players from the FC Goa squad whom everyone should look out for.
- Igor Angulo
Igor came to India with a brilliant record under his belt and he has established his power in the Indian Super league as well. As Angulo had promised, he has proved to the FC Goa fans that he can make the same impact as he did in his previous clubs; he is currently leading the table as the top scorer this season (9 Goals) and will be looking to get his hands on the Golden Boot trophy. FC Goa will want Angulo to be consistent with his current form and pass through the Jamshedpur defence to continue his goal scoring streak and take the Gaurs to the lead.
- Brandon Fernandes
FC Goa have one of the best domestic midfielders in the ISL. Brandon is yet another young talent of the Indian soil who has shown his capabilities on multiple occasions. He was an integral part of the Gaurs’ run to the semi-finals. Brandon plays in the left midfield position and also uses the flank to his advantage to set up chances for the strikers on a regular basis. His ability to take the ball up the field and tactical set-pieces is appreciated by the team and the coach. The young Indian scored two goals and made seven assists in 17 matches in 2019-20. Despite being in the attacking line, he also contributes heavily in the defence with 22 tackles and 10 shots blocked in the last 9 games. Playing 17 matches for FC Goa in the last season, Brandon was the highest Indian assist maker as well. With seven assists to his name, he has kept the consistency of creating chances to score for FC Goa with 2 assists so far this season. Needless to say, the Jamshedpur defence will do everything in their power to stop Fernandes from invading the box from the left flank.
- Edu Bedia
Edu is another gem in the FC Goa arsenal. He has the ability to manipulate the pace of the game with his accurate through balls and pin point crosses into the box. He can play long lobbed passes which invades the offside trap tactic of the opposition (which is a major threat for the defence). He is a tactical footballer as his presence is seen both in the team’s defence as well as the attack. The midfielder has nine goals and nine assists in the 51 games he has been featured in. He was directly involved in 12 goals during FC Goa’s run to the ISL final in 2018-19, and added one goal and two assists to his tally in 2019-20. He has made a similar impact this season with 769 passes along with 2 assists so far.
- Alberto Noguera
The Spaniard, Alberto, is another danger in the FC Goa squad who can break down defences with his quick passing in the midfield position. Alberto is another main source of creating opportunities for the team to score goals. He has dominated the midfield as well as the defence with 2 assists and 40 tackles on the field respectively, which makes him a threat in the attacking midfield position. So, the Men of Steel will look to mark Alberto at all times and do their best to intercept all counter attacks coming from him.
- Jorge Mendoza
Jorge scored eight goals and bagged three assists in the 2019-20 season, as the team finished on top of the league. The Spaniard plays a right midfielder in the FC Goa attacking line and brings tons of experience from his years in the Spanish league. Jorge is an overall unit on the field as he contributes in both defensive and offensive plays for the Gaurs and makes the most out of the opportunities he receives. Jorge has scored 2 goals and has taken 38 shots with 30 successful crosses in the 10 matches he has played this season thus displaying his prowess in the attacking third. Jamshedpur FC players will have to make sure to keep Jorge in the radar and block away all his attempts on goal.
