Delhi and Goa show brilliant counter tactics
Though many sides have been able to minimize Goa’s passing and scoring threat this season so far, Delhi’s rejuvenated start actually did negate Lobera’s tiki-taka play for a major chunk of the first-half. The hosts started high and adventurous on the front foot, with gegenpressing tactics, which disrupted FC Goa’s composed play. While Miguel Angel wasn’t the first one to deploy this tactic against Goa, but Delhi looked to execute it the most effectively.
Goa did get to counter in breaks but barring one genuine chance, where Mandar Rao shook the bar early in the game, they remained largely subdued. However, there was enough reason for their quiet game play too. Goa have been prey to ISL’s physicality since day one and it was time Lobera came up with a solution. To avoid screaming at referee’s deaf ears after losing possession to physically supreme players, Goa decided to slow the game at every chance they got. Having scored 14 goals in the last four games, they were more than confident to wait for their chances, however scarce in number they may be.
Both the sides negating each other resulted in numerous tackles interrupting the game. The match saw 35 fouls committed, resulting in four yellow cards and one red card, before Delhi’s error prone defence and ill temperament threw away the game in Goa’s favour.
Delhi’s impatience opens the gate for Goa
Given the poor run that Delhi are having at the moment, their positive play looked surprising to many. Paulinho Dias even shook the crossbar in the 31st minute; a goal then could have put a different complexion on the game However, what actually happened was yet another horrendous goalkeeping error at the closing stages of the first-half, which saw Sukhdev Patil failing to clear a simple cross and Corminas tapping in the opener.
It pretty much ended Delhi’s beautifully constructed game as they grew impatient with every minute and two of the next four goals came from defensive blunders. This gave way to massive ill temperament among the Delhi players, which saw Gabriel Cichero seeing a red card for a silly foul in the second-half and Jeroen Lumu getting booked for intentionally tripping the goalkeeper. Striker Kalu Uche was saved by the skin of his teeth as a host of fouls saw the referee overlooking his head-butt before he was quickly substituted.
The own goal at the 84th minute further opened the floodgates for Goa, who now had a bunch of unfocused defenders to beat. Both Goa and Delhi had 10 attempts each on the goal with Goa taking five of them and Delhi just one, which petty much summed up the play.
The Showstopper
Though the score line read 5-1 to Goa, they know deep down that they could hardly unlock Delhi’s defence from open play, which has been their strength so far in the tournament. However, the one goal that stood apart and perhaps the most important of the game, was of Manuel Lanzarote’s.
The audacious chip that was dinked in at the perfect time and the perfect place was just the cherry on top of an accomplished performance, where he managed to get attacks going despite the little time he got on the ball with Delhi's incessant fouling. The former Barcelona academy player managed to create two chances, and have four shots of target with just 41 touches.
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