There are moments in life when history means very little. FC Goa’s game on Saturday against Hyderabad FC will certainly be a case when the Gaurs throw the history books out of the way.
The mood in the FC Goa camp will be much better after their win against Bengaluru FC in their last game. It was a game where Juan Ferrando’s men showed real guile and found their attacking mojo back as they dominated the first half.
However, they had to resort to their grit to eke out the vital three points to make it two wins on the trot. Now they will look to that feel-good factor in the hope of a third consecutive win, this time at the expense of Hyderabad FC.
The task, though, is easier said than done. Hyderabad FC have carried on from their strong performances last season and currently sit in third place on the league table with three wins from their five games.
The Nizams are unbeaten in their last four (with three wins amongst) and will look to prolong their own streak of good results.
Saturday night, thus promises to be a thriller as two strong sides – both with a penchant for playing the game with flair go head to head. Here are 10 things you need to know ahead of their clash:
0: FC Goa are yet to experience a defeat at the hands of Hyderabad FC. 1-0 and 4-1 wins helped the Gaurs do the double over Hyderabad in 2019/20. The previous season, a late blitz from Juan Ferrando’s men helped them eke out a 2-1 win in their first encounter. A goalless draw in their second meeting helped the Gaurs secure a place in the playoffs while knocking Hyderabad out of contention.
2.4: No team is flagged for offsides as much as FC Goa. The Gaurs are have been flagged offside an average of 2.4 times per game
4.1: No one has suffered more fouls per 90 minutes than Jorge Ortiz. The Spaniard has been fouled on average 4.1 times per 90 minutes during this season’s ISL games.
5: No other team has conceded more goals from outside the box than FC Goa (5) with Hyderabad yet to concede a strike from long distance. The Gaurs, in fact, lead the league in terms of average distance of goals conceded at 19.4. Hyderabad are the second lowest on the table at 8.3 m.
6: Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem, despite his inconsistent start to the season, leads the league in ‘supersaves’ with 6 to his name.
*Super Saves can be defined as a stop which is more than simply putting a hand on the ball. They often involve a degree of athleticism and bravery, with the goalie jumping like a gazelle to tip the ball over the bar or diving at the feet of an oncoming opponent. They often come in one-on-one situations where the keeper is the last line of defence between striker and goal.
7: Goa is joint top when it comes to conceding from set-pieces. The Gaurs have conceded 7 of their 12 goals from set-pieces, the same as SC East Bengal. Hyderabad, on the other hand, have conceded thrice.
55: Hyderabad have enjoyed supremacy when it comes to aerial duels. The Nizams, at the time of writing, lead the league when it comes to percentage of aerial challenges won at 55%. Despite their set-piece woes, the Gaurs have also won an impressive 54% of their aerial duels.
56: Hyderabad leads the league in interceptions at 56 per match with 14 of them coming inside the opposition’s half (also highest in the league). While Goa intercepts the ball on average 11 times in the opposition’s half, they have only been able to record 43 interceptions per game (third lowest).
76: After winning the Indian Super League Winning Pass of the League last season for his league-leading 8 assists, Alberto Noguera has had another impressive start to the campaign. His 2 goals and an assist are accompanied by some silky dribbling skills with the Spaniard successfully completing 76% of his dribbles. No one barring one other has more success at dribbling the ball as successfully as him having attempted a minimum of 15 dribbles.
91: If the Gaurs are to get the better of Hyderabad on Saturday night, they need to neutralise their lynchpin in the middle of the park, Joao Victor. The Brazilian shields their backline and is the main instigator in midfield and that is reflected in the number. The midfielder wins 63% of the challenges he goes into with an astonishing 71% success when it comes to aerial duels. He also leads the team in ball recoveries, interceptions and free ball pick ups.
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