East Bengal come into the semi-final after a confident group-stage campaign in which they showed control, attacking sharpness, and balance across all departments. Their performances included a strong win in their final group game, which secured their place in the last four. The Kolkata giants have grown more consistent with every match, with their midfield dictating tempo and their forwards creating constant danger.

Punjab FC’s path to the semi-final has been equally impressive. They began their group campaign by winning two matches 3–0, displaying a perfect blend of defensive solidity and clinical finishing. Their final group game ended goalless against Bengaluru FC, but Punjab held their nerve in the penalty shootout, winning 5–4 to advance. The Shers are also the only team to reach the semi-final without conceding a single goal in regular time, underlining their defensive strength.

This matchup is expected to revolve around the midfield battle. East Bengal’s creativity and ability to stretch defences will be tested by Punjab FC’s disciplined structure. Punjab’s transition play has been their biggest asset so far, and East Bengal’s defence will need to be alert against their pacey forwards.

For Punjab, key players such as Nsungusi Effiong and their dynamic midfield core will play a vital role. East Bengal, meanwhile, will rely on their high-tempo passing, quick combinations, and the experience of their established attacking unit.

With both teams evenly matched in form and confidence, this semi-final has all the ingredients of a tightly contested showdown. The winner will not only earn a place in the final but also move one step closer to potential continental qualification, making this clash one of the most anticipated fixtures of the tournament.

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The post East Bengal and Punjab FC Gear Up for a Fierce Super Cup Semi-Final Battle appeared first on Football Counter.

Q. The team seems to be picking up at the right time. What advice do you give to the team to ward off competition team?
A. Zico- I always tell them to keep the seriousness that they have been having till now. We should always respect the opposing team and play football.

Q. How much do you enjoy playing in your current position and also what do you have to say about your performance today?
A. Santos- I have played in this position before and all the credit goes to Zico since he put me in this position and he knew that I can do well in this position. I am very happy with my performance today, but I know without help from my team it would have not been possible. Like coach said, have to continue playing well and not take anything for granted. We have to keep working hard and look to achieve our target.

Q. Are you happy with the refereeing today?
A. Zico- I have no complaints about the main referee, but the line referee I am not very pleased. His role is not to tell when it is a foul, but to help the main referee with off-sides. But here he was refereeing himself. I am not just talking about the referees in India, but around the world. I don’t agree with the role of the line referee around the world. His role is to help the main referee.

Q. Do you think FC Goa should have won with more margins?
A. Zico- We are not complaining. The opposing team did very good goalkeeping. It shows why he was the main goalkeeper in the England team. I think the team deserved the victory that we got today and I would have been satisfied even if Goa had won 1-0. But we saw how we dominated the game today.

Q. With this win, Goa is in third position. Do you think it is a secured position?
A. Zico- No team is safe. Maybe Chennai, but other teams are not safe. With the third position we are not taking anything for granted.

The post Jubilant Zico after 3-0 triumph over Kerla Blasters appeared first on Football Counter.

Mumbai City FC

The team, owned by Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor and Chartered Accountant Bimal Parekh, has managed to string in two impressive performances to jump to third spot in overall standings after six matches and is looking to consolidate the position even further.

Though the margin of victory in the last two games was just 1-0, Coach Peter Reid would be extremely happy with the way the team performed as a unit in those games after some indifferent performances in the initial few matches.

With results being key to success, the Englishman has understandably compromised on the attacking flair and adopted a more compact strategy where the defence and midfield concentrates on suffocating the opposition and then kicks off a counter.

While this has meant that Mumbai City FC, which fielded the same starting XI for the last two games, hasn’t boasted of the same kind of possession that they enjoyed in the initial matches but that should hardly worry the team management.

The major area of concern for Reid and his support staff would be the fitness of skipper Syed Rahim Nabi, who limped out of their last game against Delhi Dynamos FC and has not travelled with the team to Goa, while it is still unclear when marquee signing Freddie Ljungberg would be available for selection after his hamstring injury.

On the positive side, midfielders Andre Moritz and Jan Stohanzl have formed a formidable partnership with Frenchman Nicolas Anelka with Subhash Singh impressing with his runs from the right flank.

Mumbai City FC vice captain Manuel Friedrich praised the atmosphere at the grounds they have played so far and said he was overwhelmed with the support the league has got so far.

“Playing in India is very different to playing in Germany or England. Here the supporters create a great atmosphere and enjoy the game irrespective of which team you are representing.”

“The ISL is a major step towards making football the second biggest sport in the country,” said the German, who insisted that the team was focused on making it to the semifinals and the final in the inaugural edition.

“Be it the Indian players or foreigners, all of us are focused to taking the team to the semis,” he added.

Coach Peter Reid called for consistency from the team and said it was time they won matches on the road.

“We need to be consistent and need to win matches away. Our squad is shaping up well and you will see many more youngsters making an impact soon,” he added.

Nicolas Anelka has found the net in both the previous games at home but even he would admit that there were more chances that went a begging. If Anelka and company can find that touch which would convert their probing runs into goals, FC Goa could well be in for a torrid time on their home turf.

The post Confident Mumbai City FC geared up to achieve first away win appeared first on Football Counter.

Goa has played four matches with just one point and at the bottom of the table. Has this kind of performance come as a surprise to you?

Zico: Football never surpises me. So, we lost some games but we can also win and move on. We created some good opportunities and had chances but didn’t manage to concert them, even though we played well. This is the magic about football. Sometimes a team plays very well but doesn’t manage to score, while another team comes and scores. But then, that’s how football is. It’s all about football.

Many foreign players have come to India for the ISL. Your thoughts on that?

Zico: I think the difference with Japan was that they didn’t bring in too many foreign players. In my opinion at the ISL it’s not too good to have too many foreigners playing. The minimum of 5 Indian players is too less in my opinion. Since it’s the ISL, we have to encourage more Indian football.

FC Goa will miss a lot of players at the next match. Some injured, some not fit, suspended. How difficult will it be to play well tomorrow?

Zico: We never think it’s only 11 players, we have a group of 27 players. All 27 players are ready to play. Some are injured but the others are fit and ready to play. Players have been picked for the team because they are good and they are prepared to play. So I’m not too worried about that. I told them that they have to be prepared to play at any time, in any situation. We will play 11 against 11.

Ranti, you have played at the I-league and ISL. Have scored high at I-league, but not at the ISL. Is the standard of football higher in the ISL?

Ranti: There are only 2 strikers, Dudu and me, who have played for the I-league and ISL. There are also a lot of foreign players making the top 11. Also, we have been playing only for a couple of weeks but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t score. It’s about patience.

Coach, AIFF has announced that the ban for Habbas has been reduced from 4 to 2 games. Your comments?

Zico: Congratulations to their lawyers.

The post FC Goa pre-match press conference appeared first on Football Counter.

Panaji, 14, Oct 2014: FC Goa will take on Chennaiyans FC at its opening match on 15th October 2014 at 7pm at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Goa, FC Goa’s home ground. The traffic arrangement plan is as below.

Traffic Arrangement for FC Goa’s opening match

FLOW OF TRAFFIC

1. The entire Padre Pedro Ferrao Road from Ambaji Junction to Fatorda Junction will be closed for General Traffic and only VVIP/ VIP pass holder/ vehicles of Match Referee / Match Commissioner, vehicle of Owners of Team, Player Coaches and local Residents will be allowed to proceed via this road.
2. The VVIP/ VIP pass holder cars will be allowed to proceed via Ambaji Junction towards Fatorda PJN Stadium and their vehicle will enter through Gate No. 1. Their car will park inside stadium at VVIP/VIP parking slot.
3. The vehicle of Match Referee, Match Commissioner, vehicles of Owners of Teams and Senior Officials vehicles of Indian Super League will be allowed to proceed via Ambaji Junction toward FatordaPJN Stadiumand their vehicle will enter through Gate No. 1. Their car will park inside stadium at VVIP/VIP parking slot.
4. The Players coach will be allowed to proceed proceed via Ambaji Junction toward Fatorda PJN Stadium and their vehicle will enter through Gate No. 1 inside stadium and the Coach will be parked at Players Coach Parking Slot behind West Stand of the Stadium.
5. The General Public Ticket Holders from North side i.e. from Vasco/ Panaji/ Mapusa side (NH 17) will be diverted at Ambaji Junction toward RavindraBhavan via Old Market Circle and will be allowed to Pickup Stand, SAG Football Ground and Joggers Park.
6. The General Public Ticket Holders from South side i.e.Quepem/ Cuncolim/ Colva/ Margao City (South side) will enter through AbadeFaria Road, Old Market Circle and proceed toward SGPDA Market will park their vehicle at SGPDA Football Ground and RavindraBhavanMargao.
7. The General Public Ticket Holders from South side i.e from Ponda/ Raia, will enter through Arlem Circle toward Fatorda by SH-5  and proceed toward Swimming Pool Circle and will park their vehicles on Joggers Park, SGPDA Pickup Stand, SAG Football Ground and RavindraBhavan, Margao.

The arrangements for entrance at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Margao are as under:

Gate 1: Teams, Officials, VVIPs

Gate 2: Closed

Gate 3: Media and press

Gate 4: West stand ticket holders

Gate 5: North stand ticket holders

Gate 6, 7: East stand ticket holders

Gate 8, 9: South stand ticket holders

Gate 10: Service gate

The post Traffic Arrangement for FC Goa’s opening match appeared first on Football Counter.

Panaji, 12 Oct 2014: Tickets to the much awaited opening game between FC Goa and Chennaiyans FC to be held at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa on October 15, 2014 are sold out.

FC Goa will play its first match against Chennaiyans FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa on October 15, 2014 at 7pm.

The Hero Indian Super League, India’s unrivalled football championship kicked off on 12th October 2014 with a match against Atletico de Kolkata and Mumbai City FC at Salt Lake City stadium in Kolkata.

 FC Goa had partnered with online ticketing portal BookMyShow.com for ticket sales. Tickets to the home matches are live on the portal.  

Tickets to the other matches are priced at Rs 100 (North and South Stand), Rs 200 (East Stand) and Rs 300 (West Stand). Tickets at corporate boxes will be available at Rs 2500. Season Passes for home matches are also available. For every six home matches you buy, you would get one free

In addition to Book My Show, tickets can also be bought from a number of venues across the state, including Cafe Coffee Day outlets, The Mobile Shop stores and select Videocon outlets. Ticketing booths have also been set up at the PJN Stadium Fatorda, FC Goa’s home ground from where tickets can be bought.

The post Tickets to FC Goa’s opening match sold out appeared first on Football Counter.

FC Goa will take on Chennaiyans FC at its opening match on 15^th October 2014 at 7pm at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Goa

Panaji, 12 Oct 2014: Tickets to the much awaited opening game between FC Goa and Chennaiyans FC to be held at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa on October 15, 2014 are selling like hot cakes. 70 per cent of the tickets have been sold out so far

FC Goa had partnered with online ticketing portal BookMyShow.com for ticket sales. Tickets to the opening match as well as other home matches are live on the portal.

The Hero Indian Super League, India’s unrivalled football championship kicked off on 12th October 2014 with a match against Atletico de Kolkata and Mumbai City FC at Salt Lake City stadium in Kolkata.

FC Goa will play its first match against Chennaiyans FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa on October 15, 2014 at 7pm.

Tickets to the matches are priced at Rs 100 (North and South Stand), Rs 200 (East Stand) and Rs 300 (West Stand). Tickets at corporate boxes will be available at Rs 2500. Season Passes for home matches are also available. For every six home matches you buy, you would get one free

In addition to Book My Show, tickets can also be bought from a number of venues across the state, including Cafe Coffee Day outlets, The Mobile Shop stores and select Videocon outlets. Ticketing booths have also been set up at the PJN Stadium Fatorda, FC Goa’s home ground from where tickets can be bought.

Fans can also buy tickets for FC Goa matches at Cafe Coffee Day outlets starting from 10^th October at outlets located at, Bambolim (Kenkre Centre, NH 17); Colva (inside Silver Sand Resort, Colva Beach Road); Margao (inside Vasant Arcade, Comba); Margao (inside HPCL Kundre Service Station, Padre Miranda Road); Panjim (Arthur Viegas Building, next to Hotel Law Capital); Porvorim (143, NH 17, Porvorim, Bardez); Calangute (Inside Sunshine Beach Resort, Baga and Inside Vanessa Theatre Shopping Complex); Candolim (Fort Aguada Road), Mapusa (Feira Alta, Bardez, Near Mapusa Court Circle) and Palolem (inside Hotel Rishi Exotica, Palolem Beach Road).

Tickets will also be available at The Mobile Store outlets located at Bardez (Shop no 19&20, below hotel Orionnova, Cidade complex, opp Dominos, Porvorim,Bardez – 403521); Vasco (Shop no. 9,  ground floor, “Hotel Gladstone”Opposite Civil Court, Vasco Da Gama Goa, Vasco – 403802) and Panjim (Shop no 2, Ground Floor, Navelkar Trade Center, M.G road, Panjim – 403001).

The post Tickets to FC Goa’s opening match: 70% sold out appeared first on Football Counter.

Ahead of ISL, which will begin on October 12, the franchise teams have been playing friendly matches with various football clubs. In its earlier friendly matches played some days ago FC Goa triumphed over Sesa Football Academy by a margin of 3 goals (Score 3-0) and scored a win against the India national U-19 team with a score of 4-0.

FC Goa players training at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Goa,

FC Goa’s marquee coach, Brazilian legend and three-time World Cupper Arthur Antunes Coimbra fondly known as Zico has been putting the FC Goa squad through a rigorous training schedule and is gearing up for the first season of the ISL.

FC Goa recently roped in two of Dempo SC’s foreign imports – Australian Tolgay Ozbey and Haroon Amiri of Afghanistan – for the inaugural edition of the Indian Super League (ISL). Former Dempo player Ranty Martins presently with East Bengal has also been selected by FC Goa to be part of the squad weeks before the start of the ISL. Forrmer Arsenal and Brazil international player Andre Santos is expected to join the squad shortly.

FC Goa, one of the eight teams to compete in the 2014 Hero Indian Super League (ISL) to be held between October and December has already established a significant fan base. Fans, both young and old, are rooting for the team from Goa

The post FC Goa to take on Vasco Sports Club at a friendly match this Thursday at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda appeared first on Football Counter.