ISL Match Preview: FC Goa vs Delhi Dynamos

by Siddharth Yadav October 4, 2015

With Indian Super League already kicked off yesterday, it’s time to embrace the new favour of this extravaganza campaign. We are talking about the Brazilian taste that will be surely embrace by millions in India, tonight.

Two of the biggest football personality Brazil has produced over their decorated history are all set to face each other at the Fatorda Stadium, Margao in Goa.

Brazilian legend Zico’s FC Goa will welcome Footballing legend Roberto Carlos’s Delhi Dynamos in hope to start their campaign on a high note. The first taste of a rejuvenated and revamped league will feature two title favourites sparring for early momentum.

Though, Zico was slightly displeased by the talk of Brazilian influence on this fixture, stating that too much has been cooked of it.

“This question of the amount of Brazilians in the team has to stop. Why this prejudice? Last time we had just one Brazilian and people from different countries and we did so well. I don’t know why this question pops up so much,” he stated.

FC Goa will have the full squad at their disposal although they are going to miss two of their star players, Pronay Halder and Narayan Das, who are off to National training camp ahead of India’s FIFA World Cup 2018 Qualifiers against Turkmenistan and Guam.

One of Keenan Almeida, Debabrata Roy or Nicolau Colaco will need to fill up the left-back space as Narayan Das is honouring National duties.

A FIFA World Cup winner with Brazil, Lucio and Gregory Arnolin will start at the heart of defence of FC Goa while Keenan Almeida and most probably Debabrata Roy will be the full backs.

The midfield will see Bikramjit Singh as defensive midfielder who will command his place just ahead of FC Goa’s two central defenders.

Ahead of Bikramjit, Leo Moura will start as a central midfielder with talented young player Romeo Fernandes and Mandar Rao Desai on either side of Moura.

The Attacking duties of FC Goa will be led by Spaniard Jofre with either of Victor Simoes or Reinaldo or Daryl Duffy could get a chance to play up front.
Moving on to the opposite half, Delhi Dynamos Player-Coach Roberto Carlos was quick to clear off any doubts many had regarding their style of football which will be adapted in this campaign.

As it is said in football, attack is the best form of defence. The World Cup winner with Brazil promised an attacking, free flowing brand of football with little concentration on the defensive aspects of the game, the same which the Brazilians are being adapted to since their emergence.

There is no doubt that Roberto Carlos has one of the strongest squad in this campaign. The Dynamos acquired the likes of Ex French and Chelsea winger Florent Malouda, Ex Norwegian and Liverpool left back John Arne Riise, English outfit’s West Bromwich Albion youngster Adil Nabi and the man himself, the great Roberto Carlos.

The Dynamos squad is puzzled with match winners who can prove to be the difference on any given occasions. In defence, the pick of the lot is former Liverpool and AS Roma left back, John Arne Riise. The Norwegian revealed earlier during pre-season about Roberto Carlos’s expectations of him being the leader to the young players. The move to play him in the centre of defence clearly states the importance connected with Riise who will also be a threat from dead ball situations as he was in his prime. Riise has punished their opponents from many such situations, the one which pops up in our mind is his scintillating free kick against their arch rivals, Manchester United.

Delhi had to bring in Mumbai FC’s goalkeeper duo, Sanjiban Ghosh and Ishan Debnath, as emergency reinforcements. The Dynamos had to take this step due to injuries to all of their goalkeepers, Subhashish Roy Chowdhury, Toni Doblas and Ravi Kumar.

Like FC Goa’s Pronay Halder and Narayan Das, even Delhi will miss two of their star players as Robin Singh and Shehnaz Singh will be honouring National duties.
Line-ups:

FC Goa XI: Elinton Andrade, Lucio, Gregory Arnolin, Narayan Das, Keenan Almeida, Bikramjit Singh, Leo Moura, Jofre, Romeo Fernandes, Mandar Rao Desai, Reinaldo.

Delhi Dynamos XI: Subhashish, Souvik, Anwar Ali, Riise, Roberto Carlos, Hans Mulder, Florent Malouda, Shylo, Ralte, Dos Santos, Adil Nabi.

Prediction:
FC Goa 1-2 Delhi Dynamos