India Sports Tribune

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA: FC Goa travel to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia to take on giants Al-Nassr in the fourth round of Group D in the AFC Champions League Two on Wednesday, November 4. This match will be played at the Al-Awwal Park in the city. The return fixture, played in October earlier this year, ended in favour of Al-Nassr by a 2-1 scoreline.

Although Goa gave a tough fight to their opponents at the Fatorda in Margao, they could not compete against their superior defensive strength. It was in that fixture that local lad, Brison Fernandes, who hails from Loutolim, about 10km away from the Fatorda, created history by becoming the first Indian to score in this competition.

Goa are yet to win a game this season, after having lost all three matches they have played so far. As a result, quite naturally, they are ranked last in the table. Al-Nassr, on the other hand, are perched right on top of the standings and are tipped to make it to the next stage.

Speaking ahead of the match, Goa head coach Manolo Marquez said:

“It’s an honour for us to play these kinds of games, not only for the players, but for all FC Goa fans and for Indian football as a whole. These are moments everyone will remember for a long time. But we’re not here just to admire the stadium or the occasion; we’re here to compete in the best possible way against a big team like Al Nassr.

“We’ve earned this opportunity through a lot of hard work, last season and in the early part of this one. From beating Al-Seeb in the preliminary round to reaching the Super Cup semi-finals, we’ve met our early objectives. Now we’re in a good moment, the team is confident, and we want to enjoy ourselves on the pitch, but most importantly, we’re here to compete and try to win,” he added.

Al-Nassr chose not to travel with Cristiano Ronaldo when they came to Margao in October, and it seems unlikely that the Portuguese – one of the best footballers in the world – will play a part this time around as well. Head coach Jorge Jesus was happy enough to rotate his squad, giving the youngsters in the side an opportunity.

Star players Sadio Mane and Joao Felix were only brought on towards the end to seal the deal. Much the same is expected from this fixture, although Goa will be ready for any challenge coming their way. Viewers in India can watch this game live on the FanCode app and website from 11:45 PM IST on Wednesday.

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