FC Goa need a win against Mumbai City to stay alive in ISL

Panaji: For the last two days, FC Goa coach Manolo Marquez’s message to his team has been simple and straightforward: win this one against Mumbai City FC.
You might think it’s because of the history. There’s the Mumbai-Goa rivalry and plenty in between. Like the famous 7-0 blitz in Mumbai, the biggest margin of victory, and of course, Mumbai City’s famous comeback in the Indian Super League (ISL) semifinal when they scored three goals in six minutes to turn the match on its head at Fatorda.
Their last meeting at Fatorda ended in Goa’s favour with the hosts making it to the final of the Super Cup, a tournament they eventually won on penalties to qualify for Asian competitions again.
Now as they face off again in the ISL at the Nehru Stadium in Fatorda on Saturday, there’s still plenty at stake.
“We must win this one so that we have something to aim for in the last four matches,” Manolo told TOI during the pre-match media interaction on Friday. “I think the motivation will be very high, higher than before because we have to win this one. If we lose, there will be too big a gap which will be difficult to bridge. Eight points with four games remaining is practically impossible (to catch up).”
Till their loss against Bengaluru FC at home, Goa were the unbeaten side in the league and, you could argue, one of the contenders for the title. Since then, they’ve returned to winning ways and other results have also gone their way. But there’s five points and five places between them and league leaders Mumbai, the only unbeaten team in the league.
“Mumbai is a very balanced team in my opinion. If they want to defend, they have very pacy players for counterattack. If they have to attack, they have good players who can press, and strong physically. I think they will be one of the teams who will fight for the title till the end,” said Manolo.
Goa secured a win against Mumbai the last time they met at Fatorda in Nov but since then plenty has changed. Goa have lost four foreign players, while Mumbai have only added to their strength with the inclusion of new signings.
“They are in better shape now,” said Manolo. “We are still competitive, but we have some problems in the final third. We need to play a very good game to beat them. I feel it will be a very tactical game. We can win.”
Mumbai arrive here with hopes of extending their lead at the top, particularly at a time when several challengers are breathing down their neck.
“We know FC Goa are a very strong team who have been consistent over the last few seasons,” said coach Petr Kratky. “They have the quality to hurt you in different moments. We must prepare for every situation and we will continue working to make sure we are ready to compete in all aspects of the game.
“We are not thinking about the points table. Our focus is on taking one game at a time and giving our best during each match. The most important thing is that we give everything on the pitch to succeed. If we continue with this mindset and commitment, I believe the results will take care of themselves.”Get real-time updates and result insights on the CBSE 12 Result 2026.