Chennai, Goa brace for battle

Margao, March 9: There is very little to separate the two teams as FC Goa host Chennaiyin FC in the second semi- final of the Hero Indian Super League here on Saturday.

The rivals were allsquare in the league stage as FC Goa scored a stunning 3- 2 victory in their opening match in Chennai, scoring three goals in the first 45 minutes, while Chennaiyin FC fought back and levelled things out with a 1- 0 victory in Goa.

The teams face each other knowing there has never been a draw between them. In the nine matches the two sides have played, Goa won four and Chennaiyin five, including the famous final in 2015.

A total of 35 goals have been scored in these encounters and if Goa’s head coach Sergio Lobera stays true to his style, then there will certainly be lots more entertainment.

“We understand the importance of the away goal, but this rule will not make us change our style of play. In the last game, even when a draw was enough, we went for the win. The team has to continue with the same mentality,” Lobera said during the pre- match media interaction.

Goa have scored 12 goals in the hat- trick of wins that they stitched up to enter the semi- finals, but the big change is that they have also conceded just once in 270 minutes of football.

Chennaiyin enter the game on a patchy run of just two wins in their last five games, but are statistically one of the soundest traveling teams this season. They have the most number of clean sheets in total ( 7) and have conceded the least amount of shots away from home ( 78).

Their goals are also spread across the team over 11 players, unlike Goa, who are reliant on Ferran Corominas and Manuel Lanzarote in that department ( 18 of the 22 home goals Goa have scored have come from these two players).

The second leg will be played on March 13 in Chennai. — PTI