'Goalden' contest awaits Chennaiyin

Goa will be boosted by the return of midfielder Edu Bedia, who missed the game in Chennai due to personal reasons. There is more good news as Brandon Fernandes and Hugo Boumous, who were out of last week’s encounter, are back in contention for a start. Having scored 10 goals and assisted 11 in 14 matches, Boumous, in particular, has been in spectacular form this season.

With the return of Brandon, Goa is likely to get better deliveries from wide positions, something which was missing from its game in the first leg.

Ferran Corominas will start as a number nine after playing as a withdrawn forward in the last game. The Spanish striker has 14 goals to his name and Goa needs his goals on Saturday more than ever.

It will be interesting to see the decision interim coach Clifford Miranda makes on the matchday. He has the option of fielding an all-attacking line-up of Bedia, Boumous and Corominas rather than going with two foreign centre-backs in Mourtada Fall and Carlos Pena, for the important clash.

“We have to win to overcome the deficit, but that does not mean we will go all out from minute one. There are 90 minutes and more and from whatever I know, the match is not decided in the first 10-15 minutes. The score at the final whistle is what matters and we will take it minute-by-minute,” said Miranda in the pre-match presser.

Meanwhile, Chennaiyin will look to score first and make the task even more improbable for the home side. Should CFC find the back of the net, Goa will need at least five goals to move into the final. Coach Owen Coyle has mentioned that his players will not be lackadaisical in the second leg, despite enjoying athree-goal lead.

The gaffer will want an improved performance from the front three of Nerijus Valskis, Rafael Crivellaro and Andre Schembri, which had a quiet game by its standard last week. Goa also needs to keep a check on the Chennaiyin attackers, who are more than capable of hurting the opponent through a quick counter-attack.

“When you have any sort of advantage, it is good. That being said, we know we have a very dangerous match. Over the course of the 18 games in the league, Goa has been the best team. I have so much respect for it and that won’t change. But, we have to make sure that we see our advantage through, not that it won’t present its own challenges,” said Coyle.

A place in the final awaits the winner and coaches wouldn’t find it difficult to motivate their squad forthis intriguing contest.