ISL final, FC Goa vs CFC: ‘Home turf not an advantage,’ says Zico

Margao: The stage is set and after 60 matches spanning over 77 days, the Indian Super League (ISL) will get to see new champions in its second season when FC Goa lock horns with Chennaiyin FC in the summit clash, here on Sunday.

FC Goa might have an edge playing at home in front of the 19,000 capacity Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru stadium with passionate, vociferous fans backing them creating an intimidating atmosphere. However, Head Coach of FC Goa Zico negated views that playing on home turf pitted the Gaurs ahead of the opposition.

“It’s always good to play at home but I don’t see it as an advantage. If you look at the numbers in the ISL, you will see that many teams won their matches playing away. Home advantage doesn’t make much difference in the ISL,” Zico said during the pre-match conference, here on Saturday.

Goa has been a consistent outfit right from the start, while Chennaiyin faced a few hiccups on the way, but thanks to a strong team ethic, Head Coach Marco Materazzi has managed to cajole his team into a steady matured one.

After pulling off a great win against last year’s champions Atletico de Kolkata at their adopted ground in Pune, Chennaiyin arrived in Goa having won five out of their last six games. Goa, on the other hand have only lost two in the last 10 and are also the ISL's top scorers having 32 goals with Chennaiyin (29) in second place.

Goa are known to have an attacking style of play and coach Zico looks to carry forward the same style going into the grand finale. “There’s no reason for us to change our game. We played this way and came so far,” he said.

Materazzi, on the other hand, whose defence includes French veteran Bernard Mendy, Mailson Alves, Dhanachandra Singh and Mehrajuddin Wadoo, refused to accept his team’s defensive style of play. “I don’t think we have a defensive style of play. Goa’s attacking style arises from Brazilian culture, where they attack through 90 minutes. We scored many goals as well,” he said.

Both teams have faced each other on four occasions with FC Goa and Chennaiyin FC winning two apiece. While Goa will be boosted with Rafael Coelho being passed fit after he was carried off in the second leg of the semis, besides a host of strikers, they have to be on-guard for a certain Stiven Mendoza.

Columbian striker Mendoza, who is in the reckoning for the Golden Boot award this season with 12 goals, will pose for a serious threat to the Goan wall held strongly by Portuguese veteran Lucio. “It’s always very good to stop a player like Mendoza and if we can neutralise him, it would be a big positive for us,” Zico pointed out.

Chennaiyin FC skipper Elano sees a close encounter during the finals also stating that his opposition fully deserves a place on Sunday. “Both the teams are on an equal footing and in the finals because of their merit. As far as the finals is concerned, there are great players in both the teams and they’ll try their best to achieve glory,” asserted Elano, adding that this performance will be dedicated to the victims of the horrendous Chennai floods that wrecked havoc in the southern state.

While Goa, given their optimistic attitude and Brazilian flair will look to clinch their maiden ISL crown, Chennai, who have proved to be stubborn in the past, can spoil the party for the Goans. But then again, as the cliché goes: May the best team win!

Quote shoot (ISL final)

Elano: “I am very happy to have achieved whatever I have in my career. As far as Chennai is concerned, I am very happy with the team, the workforce and all the team preparation. For tomorrow’s final, we’re sure that we will try our level best to make Chennai shine.”

Marco: “For me, the final represents a really valuable target because last year we reached the semifinals and this time we reached the finals, which is a great achievement in my career. It doesn’t matter if you’re in India, Germany or England. What matters is that you are doing something for the development of football in a country. When you come from being a player to being a coach, you’ll have the advantage of that three to four games but after that it’s about you and what you can do. I regret that being a coach this time as I can’t be on the pitch with my players.”

Lucio: “The ISL final for me is very important as well. I like to live my life everyday so this is an important event in my life.”

Zico: “ISL is all about hardwork and we’ve put in a lot of hardwork and that’s what it is.”

Comparison with season one

Elano: “As compared to the first edition the ISL has improved in many ways. A lot of players have entered in. Besides, nobody has gone away forever.”

Lucio: “Good impression.”

Marco: “I hope everyone sees the difference. All of us contributed to raise the level of the tournament. This year it took 22 points to reach the playoffs and we have achieved the target that is developing football in India. Starting from the academies, I hope that this movement of football will keep on growing.”

Zico: “The reason Indian players played last season helped a lot. For me, being part of the League last year has helped in making better plans and planning is knowledge. I hope the ISL will help the development of Indian football. You can see it in the Indian national team. Of course they are not seeing the results but this is the type of football that we have to see.”

(All photos: ISL)

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