Ferrando and the Gaurs will have the opportunity to set things right when they face NorthEast United next on December 4th.
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Friday night saw FC Goa slump to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Jamshedpur FC leaving the Gaurs still waiting for their first points of the campaign. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Juan Ferrando spoke about the state of the team and his feelings following successive defeats for the first time during his tenure as the head coach of FC Goa. Ferrando, however, dismissed any suggestions of pressure on him following the result, stating, “Pressure, I think this is not the word. I am upset. Pressure? No. I am upset.”
The head coach further spoke of the circumstances under which the performances have taken a downturn. “The players are working hard because they are not 100 percent. There are some injuries, some problems,” added Ferrando. “However, in this I am happy because they are trying to do their best on the pitch. Of course it is an issue if in the line up 4-5 players have a problem. I know they want to help the team, but in this case it is difficult to play 90 minutes like this with high intensity.”
The loss to Jamshedpur was only the Gaurs’ third defeat to the team in 12 meetings. Speaking on the game, the Spanish coach also spoke of where the game became difficult for the hosts. “Of course this is not an expected scoreline. After the first goal, the opponent became more confident and put more pressure. It was a difficult moment for us,” opined Ferrando. “The game becomes more difficult with the team down 2 goals because it affects the mentality. This is the psychological aspect.
Ferrando and the Gaurs will have the opportunity to set things right when they face NorthEast United next on December 4th. “In terms of tactics, we always stick to our style of play. I don’t think it was something to do with our effort, it was more psychological. We have played in the Durand Cup coming into this season. I don’t think there was any issue with the physical conditioning. It was more a case of the psychological aspect. And I am in charge of helping control the emotions of the dressing room,” he explained.
Earlier, a brace from Nerijus Valskis helped Jamshedpur FC to their first win of the campaign as they overcame FC Goa 3-1 on Friday night. The result leaves the Gaurs still searching for their first win of the season after two Indian Super League matches. Jamshedpur got the breakthrough in the 51st minute. Greg Stewart did well to lay it off for Valskis, who took a touch before slotting it clinically past Dheeraj with a low left-footed shot from outside the box.
Ten minutes later, Valskis made it 2-0 as he ran onto another Greg Stewart ball, this time from a free kick, to head home the second. Despite a flurry of changes from the manager to get Goa back into the game, it was Jamshedpur who struck again. An innocuous flick-on from Papuia saw substitute Jordan Murray get ahead of Dohling, before flicking it beyond Dheeraj for the third for Owen Coyle’s men.
FC Goa did make a late push as Edu Bedia struck the crossbar in the 83rd minute. A minute later Airam Cabrera struck his first in FC Goa colours with a clinical finish following some good work from Ortiz on the left flank. But it was too little, too late for them.
