Sports
FC Goa coach confident of team’s chances in Super Cup
Panjim, March 29 (IANS) FC Goa coach Derrick Pereira is optimistic of his teams chances as they kick off their Super Cup campaign with a tough first-round fixture against two-time Indian Super League (ISL) champions ATK on April 3.
After a disappointing loss to Chennaiyin FC in the semi-finals of the ISL, Goa are looking to fire back in the Super Cup in a bid to obtain their first piece of silverware.
Pereira will make history by being the first Indian to coach an ISL side.
Goa have registered six foreign players for the competition, leaving out Moroccan midfield dynamo Ahmed Jahouh and Dutch youngster Mark Sifneos.
ISL top scorer Ferran Corominas will be available for Goa.
Pereira was confident about his team’s chances in the competition, explaining that the team is looking to make amends in the Super Cup.
“We were unlucky in the ISL semi-finals. We put in a lot of effort in the last three league games to reach the semi-finals and that ultimately took a toll on us. We have enough quality in the side to win this tournament.
“Football however, is an unpredictable sport and as such, we have to take our chances if we want to win this tournament,” he said.
Edu Bedia has been an important member of the side and has played a number of games in the heart of midfield, scoring one goal in the ISL.
Talking about his partnership with Jahouh, he said, “Jahouh was an important player for the side and he will be missed. However, I am a professional and whatever shape the coach asks me to play in, I will do so.
“I have played alongside Pronay during the ISL apart from Jahouh. So it doesn’t matter who I have to play with. What matters is that I do well. We are all looking forward to having a good tournament and winning the trophy.”
Winger Mandar Rao Dessai featured in every game for Goa in the ISL. The Goan who usually operates on the left flank was given the freedom to switch flanks often during the tournament and used this strategy to good effect.
“Throughout my career I have operated only on the left flank. But this year, the coach asked me to move to the right as well. This gave me the opportunity to cut in and take shots,” he said.
–IANS
dm/tri/pur/bg
The left-handed batsman from Haryana is garnering praise from all quarters for the way he’s finishing games regularly in the most exciting IPL season.
Gavaskar reckons Tewatia’s whirlwind knock in Sharjah (in IPL 2020) where he smashed West Indies pacer Sheldon Cottrell for five sixes in an over, gave him the confidence that he belongs to the big stage.
Speaking on Cricket Live on Star Sports, Gavaskar said, “That assault on Sheldon Cottrell in Sharjah gave him the belief to do the impossible and the confidence that he belongs here. We saw the impossible (he did with the bat) the other day as well. There’s no twitching or touching the pads (which shows a batter’s nervousness) when he bats in the death overs. He just waits for the ball to be delivered and plays his shots. He’s got all the shots in the book, but most importantly his temperament to stay cool in a crisis is brilliant.”
Gavaskar has also nicknamed the 28-year-old cricketer the ‘ice-man’ and lauded Tewatia’s ability to remain unruffled during the tense moments.
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