Mismanagement or poor luck? ATK vs FC Goa delayed by at least an hour, visiting team still travelling

Is this mismanagement or sheer unlucky coincidence?

The 37th game of Indian Super League-ISL between ATK and FC Goa is now to start late after a MIG-incident at the Goa airport has delayed the Goa team's arrival in Kolkata. The game was scheduled to start at its usual timing of 8 p.m. but now will start at 9:15 or 10:00 p.m. as per the information received from Khel Now sources.

It is very unfortunate that the crash has delayed the game, but it could also be seen as mismanagement by FC Goa officials. The officials should have ensured that the players reach the opposition's city at least a day before the match day. FC Goa players should have reached Kolkata on Tuesday itself.

The players would reach the city after a tiring long journey. Despite this, the players would be expected to be at their best and give the game all they can, which is asking more than what one can expect from athletes. The players, though, are hopeful of coming on top against the Kolkata giants in the game that will feature sides from two of the biggest footballing hubs of the nation.

MIG 29 crash in Goa

Khel Now talked to a first-team player who said that it is the right time to show the real character of FC Goa to the opposition. The players are upbeat both as a team and individually. They are now expected to fly from Goa at 5:50 PM IST.

Indian Super League released an official statement that the game will be delayed by an hour due to unavoidable circumstances. Football Sports Development Limited, the competition's organisers said, "The match between ATK and FC Goa will be delayed for a minimum of one hour."

UPDATE: Tonight's game between @WorldATK ​ and @FCGoaOfficial will be delayed by an hour.#LetsFootball #KOLGOA #HeroISL pic.twitter.com/c7kbau8kqP

— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) January 3, 2018

The delay in the timings might result in the drop in attendees for the game as the match can stretch until midnight. The team was set to reach Kolkata on Tuesday evening but could not due to technical glitches in their flight. On Wednesday morning, an incident that involved a Mig 29 saw flights being postponed and thus, the team has been stranded on the airport since the morning. FC Goa last trained on Tuesday morning and Khel Now understands that the similarity in the climates of Goa and Kolkata will help them to be comfortable at the away venue. 

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Who else loves Ludo? Tag your Ludo partner in the comments below! ???? ???? pic.twitter.com/iFAhTgBuWL

— FC Goa (@FCGoaOfficial) January 3, 2018

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It is not a mismanagement and is sheer poor luck and too much should not be read into it. The fact that the team needs to play their game on Wednesday without rest for the last 18 hours or so is baffling. ISL organizers certainly could not have done anything about the accident or the technical glitch that took place on Tuesday, but certainly could've postponed the game to a later date. Probably, the recent shift due to Bengaluru FC's AFC Cup schedule and 'Khelo India' deterred them from the move. 

FC Goa manager Sergio Lobera had recently complained about the re-jig in the schedule and had complained that his side would have to play three games in nine days, something even Jose Mourinho, with world-class facilities at Carrington, complains about. We hope the game is played in the right spirit and FC Goa can challenge the fresh and 'at home' ATK.