ISL 2022-23: Jamshedpur FC coach expects more goals from Ishan Pandita; FC Goa's Pena lauds Iker's character
FC Goa tied the score at 2-2 with a goal from Iker Guarrotxena in the 89th minute to deny Jamshedpur FC their second victory of the ISL 2022-23 season on Thursday.
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FollowAt the JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur on Thursday, FC Goa tied the score at 2-2 with a goal from Iker Guarrotxena in the 89th minute to deny Jamshedpur FC their second victory of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 season. Jamshedpur FC was on a seven-game losing streak before the draw and picked up their first point since Matchweek 4.
Iker Guarrotxena scored twice to help the visitors earn a point after Jamshedpur FC took the lead in the first half on his own goal. Then, Guarrotxena gave the Gaurs a goal back, and Ishan Pandita gave Men of Steel the lead in the 50th minute. However, Guarrotxena scored in the final seconds of play to give the club a point.
Following this thrilling draw, Jamshedpur FC coach Aidy Boothroyd stated that his side could have gotten more than what they eventually ended up with.
"It was a very good game from a neutral point of view. We were really good in the first half. We were by far the better team. We got the goal and worked hard to get the second one. I thought we got tired towards the end of the game, which is going to happen when we have players returning from injuries. We broke the losing cycle. Upwards and onwards from here," he said in a post-match press conference.
Meanwhile, Boothroyd also shared his views on Ishan Pandita's performance. The Jamshedpur FC coach remarked, "Ishan Pandita doesn't want to be the super sub anymore. He wants to be a player that wants to start and does well. I have given him an opportunity. He knows what we have to do for the team. He is a brilliant runner and he will score goals, the more he plays."
"The goal he scored was an opportunistic's goal but I'm sure there will be plenty more. I am really pleased with him and every player, particularly the younger players that came in. It was an excellent experience for them to be on the pitch and be the best players," Boothroyd added.
Meanwhile, FC Goa coach Carlos Pena lauded the team's character in making a strong comeback in the game. When asked about his changes in the second half, Pena said, "The second half was completely for us. We even conceded the goal because of our mistake. We tried to attack, to create chances, we had the chances, and we didn't give up and scored in the 90th minute. We could've another goal in the added time. I'm not happy because we wanted to get the three points here, but at least the team showed character. We got one point after making a comeback twice. I think it's fair on both teams."
When asked about Iker Guarrotxena's performance, especially in the second half, FC Goa coach applauded his player's character and contribution towards the team.
"Iker (Guarrotxena) gives a lot of things to the team, not only the goals. Till now he hasn't been scoring a lot of goals but now he's finding success in front of the goal. His character, his soul, he has a lot of things that help the team, his defensive work is amazing, also the way he works for the team. So happy for his performance, his two goals and so happy for him that his goals helped the team," Pena said.
Jamshedpur FC remains in 10th place, whereas FC Goa climbs to 4th place thanks to the draw. Jamshedpur FC will visit the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on January 3 to take on Kerala Blasters. FC Goa, on the other hand, head to the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata to take on ATK Mohun Bagan on December 28.
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