There was no doubt that the visitors were the favourites coming into this match leaving NorthEast United FC’s new coach Eelco Schattorie with a lot to prove. FC Goa had scored as many as 42 goals last season, the most in the league, and it was a known fact that Sergio Lobera’s strength lied in outscoring his opponents. The Spanish style of play that Lobera has implemented in Goa includes holding the ball well and passing quickly to the nearest free player, and Schattorie knew he couldn’t counter the buildup. It would have required him to commit more players to press thereby leaving the opponent to explore the spaces down the middle which had Ferran Corominas waiting at the end and finish almost every single time.

Hence, NorthEast decided to leave FC Goa with only one source of attack – the flanks. It also explained NorthEast’s complacent looking slow buildup because it allowed the central midfielders the players to fall back faster during a counterattack as they had little ground to cover. In congesting the midfield and defence, FC Goa players found their wide players to be unmarked more often and kept pushing the ball outwards– something NorthEast wanted. In between the two wingers and full-backs – Jackichand Singh, Mandar Rao Desai, Carlos Pena and Seriton Fernandes, Goa pumped in as many as 16 crosses into the box failing to find Coro 15 times. Not known for his physicality Coro was left in no man’s land as the dominating Rowlin Borges, Mato Grgic, Mislav Komorski, and Reagan Singh kept on clearing crosses throughout the 90 minutes. The one goal that eventually went in from a cross was Rehenesh’s failure to clear the ball. Jacki and Mandar were both overworked consequently, and the former was even taken off on the stretcher.

In the first half, Goa was pressing tremendously with the idea that the higher up the field they could get the ball, the lesser passing moves they would have to make before getting an eventual attempt at the target. This had been their tactics last season as well and Schattorie knew exactly how to counter it. The hosts didn’t take a gung-ho attempt like their opponent, but a more subtle strategy that needed more training ground practice. NorthEast would keep the ball as much as possible with two players wandering around their teammate with the ball. Goa’s attempt at pressing saw the three creating a wall as they kept the ball moving up. Their buildup looked like a triangular bubble moving up through the flanks with the opponent unable to pierce it. How much Schattorie stressed upon it was reflected when even goalkeeper Rehnesh was seen showing enough composure on the ball to go round Coro and pass it to one of his defenders. The slower pace of the buildup meant, the players didn’t run out of steam as well.