We played like a team in the second half: Manolo Marquez

Manolo Marquez revealed why he substituted skipper Brandon Fernandes.

In a pulsating football showdown that kept fans at the edge of their seats, Odisha FC squared off against an indomitable FC Goa side. The action-packed encounter witnessed a rollercoaster of events as Mourtada Fall ignited the scoring frenzy for Odisha FC in the sixth minute.

However, the pendulum of fortune swung wildly as Noah Sadaoui notched up a brace, propelling FC Goa into a 2-1 lead. But the drama didn't end there, as Fall once again rose to the occasion and levelled the score in an almost similar fashion. Just when it seemed the match would end in a thrilling stalemate, Jay Gupta seized the spotlight, delivering a sensational strike in the 96th minute hand FC Goa a 3-2 victory.

After the match, mentor Manolo Marquez addressed the media. Excerpts are below:

Commendable victory

Manolo Marquez expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance, despite conceding two goals. He acknowledged the difficulties the team faced in the initial stages of the match but praised their recovery in the latter part of the game.

He said, "I think that in the last part of the first half and especially almost the entire second half, the team played very well. This is the team that we want, but it's not always possible. And then we scored the last goal in the 95th or 96th minute. I don't know, my heart attack is very close now (jokingly)." 

Team effort in goal-scoring

When asked about the goals scored by Noah and Jay, coach Marquez emphasized that individual goal-scoring achievements were a result of the team's collective effort. He stressed that teamwork and combination-play were crucial factors contributing to their success.

"I think that we played as a team today, especially in the second half. The team showed good combination, we recovered the ball very fast and the press was also alright. I think that it was very close to the FC Goa that we want."

Analysis of early nervousness

Addressing the team's nervous start in the first 20-25 minutes, Manolo Marquez pointed out the positioning of some players as a contributing factor. He discussed the importance of utilizing wing-backs in modern football and the need for different attacking options.

He noted, "If we want to combine, we need different options. And one good option that finally arrived were the wing-backs. Udanta Singh and Seriton Fernandes attacked and combined from the right side. I'm very satisfied with the change, except with the first 25 minutes (team's performance)."

Brandon Fernandes' substitution explained

When questioned about Brandon's substitution around the 70th minute, the tactician clarified that it was due to an injury. Despite Brandon's excellent performance, he had experienced problems in the last training session, which led to his substitution.

"It was an injury. It's true that in the last training session he had some problems, but I think that he played very well. He asked for the substitution maybe two minutes before. I don't know if it's a muscle problem or a knock," he mentioned.