FC Goa eager to consolidate top position

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Fatorda, December 22: An in-form FC Goa will look to seal its position at the top when it hosts FC Pune City in an Indian Super League match at the Nehru Stadium on Saturday (December 22).

The top three teams - FC Goa, Bengaluru FC and Chennaiyin FC - have 12 points each but Goa is on the top of the table on goal difference.

Goa has played attacking football, scoring a staggering 10 goals in its last two matches, with its midfield and forwards coming together well.

The duo of Ferran Corominas and Manuel Lanzarote have been lethal, scoring 13 goals in between them. Corominas has scored nine goals, including two hat-trick this season.

FC Pune City, sitting fifth, has strikers like Marcelino and Emiliano Alfaro, who are destructive up front and it remains to be seen how the rival defence tackles them.

However, Pune will miss striker Baljit Singh Sahani due to a red card he picked up in the tie against Bengaluru FC.

Pune coach Ranko Popovic believes it is going to be a great challenge for his defenders to stop the duo of Corominas and Lanzarote.

"It is going to be interesting as both the teams play an attacking game, have scored lot of goals and at the same time conceded goals. We made silly mistakes that resulted in us losing matches.

"FC Goa are playing attractive game and it is challenge for us to counter them. It is going to be a close contest and the team that commits less error will win tomorrow," Popovic said.

Goa coach Sergio Lobera said: "Every match is a different game. We do not know if we will be able to score more goals as they are a good side and play an attacking game like us."