FC Goa came close to qualifying for the final, but they were quite unlucky to be defeated in a penalty shootout by Atletico de Kolkata in the semifinal of the Indian Super League 2014.
They are back with vengeance in their minds for ISL 2015, which will be staring from 3 October in Chennai.
FC Goa has legendary Brazilian footballer Zico at the helm of their team and this time he will want to bring home the coveted ISL trophy which he and his side missed out on in the first season of the ISL.
"We want to get better. Last year I did not know the players, the foreigners and the technical staff. In the beginning it was difficult. This year we will be better because I got to choose the Indian players and the foreigners also," Zico told the reporters ahead of the ISL 2015.
Zico, who is one of the greatest ever Brazilian footballers, has managed to rope in six Brazilian players, most important of them being their marquee signing for ISL 2015, Lucio, who was also a member of the Brazil's FIFA World Cup winning squad of 2002.
FC Goa made a slow start to ISL 2014, as they failed to win their opening few matches. Later, Zico boosted his player's confidence and they could only be stopped by the defending champions Atletico de Kolkata in the semifinals, and that too on penalties. They piled up 22 points from 14 games during the league stages, and made it to the last four rather easily. They are surely one of the contenders for the ISL 2015 title.
Preseason:
The FC Goa players spent their preseason in the United Arab Emirates, where they trained hard under the watchful eyes of Zico and Lucio. They also played four practice games out of which they won one, drew two and lost one.
FC Goa 2- 2 Al Khaleej
FC Goa 2-1 Al Shabab
FC Goa 1- 1 Ajman Club
FC Goa 2-4 Al Hatta
Key Players:
Foreigners: Lucio, Jofre Mateu: The Brazilian defender can keep the defense line water-tight. He comes into this ISL with a lot of International experience and that might just prove vital for the Virat Kohli co-owned franchise.
Jofre on the other hand, was a crucial player for the defending champions Atletico de Kolkata in ISL 2014. His box-to-box movements and ability to operate from any wings is very dangerous, just like he did for Atletico de Kolkata in Luis Garcia's absence in the first season of the star-studded league.
Indian: Romeo Fernandes: Fernandes has always been highly rated by Zico and he was also sent to Brazil to play for one of the clubs there. Fernandes was not picked for the Indian squad for the World Cup qualifiers and playing at his best in ISL 2015 and proving his mettle could earn him a place back in the national Team.
FC Goa Full squad:
Goalkeepers: Andrade, Laxmikant Kattimani, Luis Barreto, Keenan Almeida.
Defenders: Nicolau Colaco, Lúcio, Grégory Arnolin, Raju Gaikwad, Narayan Das, Roy Debabrata.
Midfielders: Bikramjit Singh, Jonatan Lucca, Pronay Halder, Léo Moura, Jofre, Mandar Rao Desai, Léo Rocha, Denson Devadas, Romeo Fernandes.
Forwards: Victor Simões, Reinaldo, Darryl Duffy, Chinadorai Sabeeth, Joaquim Abranches, Thongkhosiem Haokip, Victorino Fernandes.
Coach: Zico.
Watch FC Goa undergoing some super humna training:
FC Goa does some super human training! #DubaiDiaries
Posted by FC Goa on Saturday, 12 September 2015
