FC Goa set to lock horns with Al Zawraa SC in AFC Champions League 2 opener

FC Goa defeated Al Seeb in the playoff round to secure their place in the group stage.

The Super Cup champions FC Goa are ready to kick off their new season with a crucial continental fixture against Al Zawraa SC from Iraq. The Gaurs will face the Iraqi club on Wednesday, September 17, at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Fatorda) in Goa.

After a gap of four years, FC Goa are finally back on the Asian stage. Manolo Marquez has brought the club to where they belong after a couple of underwhelming seasons since their last Asian appearance in 2021. The Gaurs have been placed in a tough group alongside Al Nassr, Istiklol, and Al Zawraa. To stay in contention for knockouts qualification it is important for Goa to register a positive result in their opening fixture.

Also Read: FC Goa strengthen defense with signing of Jerry Lalrinzuala ahead of new season

The Stakes

FC Goa

The club’s trajectory has taken an upward route after a brief spell of failure following their ISL shield glory in 2020. Manolo Marquez has heralded this shift in fortunes for the Gaurs. This ACL 2 campaign has come at the perfect time for FC Goa. Marquez has settled at the club and is ready to lead the club in a crucial ACL 2 assignment.

The defending Super Cup champions have made some new signings, who made a great start to their Goan stint with a notable outing against Al Seeb in the playoff round. The last Asian campaign where FC Goa registered three points, managing draws against sides like Al Rayyan and Al Wahda, would serve as an inspiration.

Al Zawraa SC

The league in Iraq has not commenced, similar to India, which makes this contest the first competitive fixture for Al Zawraa in the new season. It will not be an easy task for them to travel and then compete with Mohun Bagan without having competitive games under their belt.

This ACL 2 campaign will matter a lot to the former Iraqi champions as they have been on a dry trophy run for the past few years. An impressive ACL 2 campaign will be a great step ahead for the club after finishing second in the league last season.

Team News

Both FC Goa and Al Zawraa will be taking the field with all the players available for the clash.

Probable Lineups

FC Goa

Hrithik Tiwari (GK), Nim Dorjee Tamang, Boris Singh, Pol Moreno, Aakash Sangwan, Borja Herrera, David Timor, Udanta Singh, Iker Guarrotxena, Dejan Drazic, Javier Siverio

Al Zawraa SC

Jalal Hassan (GK), Abdallah Nasib, Akam Hashem, Kadhim Raad, Dhurgham Ismail, Nizar Al-Rashdan, Mohammed Qasim, Clarence Bitang, Mahdi Al-Humaidan, Hasan Abdulkareem, Ali Yousif

Players to watch out for

Javier Siverio (FC Goa)

Several questions were raised when Manolo Marquez signed the former Jamshedpur FC striker, Javier Siverio, before the season started for FC Goa. The Spaniard is not a stranger to Indian Football and has been playing in the Indian Super League since 2021, but has never had a groundbreaking season. He has not yet touched the double-digit mark in terms of goals in a single season.

However, Siverio started his FC Goa stint with a statement performance against Al Seeb, forcing the doubters to reconsider their opinion about him. He scored a brilliant goal to extend Goa’s lead, which later proved to be decisive. His presence in the final box will matter a lot to Manolo Marquez. All that the Spanish manager would expect from Siverio is the clinical conversion of goal-scoring chances.

Hasan Abdulkareem (Al Zawraa SC)

Al Zawraa would be relying heavily on this name for their attacking threat. Hasan Abdulkareem was one of the standout performers for the club last season. With 9 goals and 11 assists in 35 games, he was a force to be reckoned with.

He was one of the key factors in guiding Al Zawraa to a second-place finish in the Iraq Stars League after a few seasons. FC Goa should be wary of Abdulkareem’s threat as he has the ability to put Manolo Marquez’s plans in jeopardy.

Where to watch FC Goa vs Al Zawraa in ACL 2?

The recent success have created a buzz among the FC Goa fans and they can’t wait to back their boys on the continental stage. The Gaur Army can tune into the live streaming of the match on the FanCode App.

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