PANAJI
Following FC Goa's 1-0 win over Defensa y Justicia in the Bhausaheb Bandodkar Memorial Trophy semi-final, assistant coach Gouramangi Singh shared his thoughts on the game and looked ahead to the final.
Singh acknowledged that the team missed head coach Manolo Marquez, who is currently with the Indian national team. Despite Marquez's absence, Singh was pleased with how the team performed under his own leadership and was focused on securing their place in the final.
Singh noted that while FC Goa had several chances to score, the primary goal was to secure the three points and advance to the final. He expressed satisfaction with the result, even though the team only scored one goal.
When asked about the refereeing, Singh chose not to comment critically. He emphasized that FC Goa aims to play fair and avoid unnecessary disputes. Despite the physical nature of the match, Singh praised his team for maintaining composure and respecting the referee's decisions.
Singh admitted that the team’s finishing needs improvement but expressed hope that FC Goa would be more effective in front of goal in the final. He also mentioned that the tournament is good preparation for the upcoming ISL season.
Regarding the pace of the game, Singh said that managing player fitness is important due to the tight schedule. He assured that the team is working on balancing player workloads and will be well-prepared for the ISL season.
