NT Reporter Panaji
Goa will be chasing redemption as they square up against Lakshadweep in their second Group H fixture of the 79th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy at the Bangalore Football Stadium today at 11 a.m.
Reeling from a bruising 0–4 opening-day defeat to defending champions Services, Goa arrive with wounds to heal and pride to reclaim. Services forward Abhishek Pawar helped himself to a brace, while Roshan Panna and Vijay J added their names to a one-sided scoreline that left the Goans shell-shocked after a promising opening 45 minutes.
Yet head coach Keenan Almeida insisted the score did not tell the entire story.
“The defensive organisation was very good. Even in the second half, it was a matter of 10 minutes that messed up everything for us,” Almeida said, pointing to a quick-fire collapse that followed the first goal. “Individual brilliance from their players cost us, and one or two errors here
and there.”
If Goa are hunting revival, Lakshadweep aren’t faring much better. They also come in off a defeat, falling 3–0 to Karnataka, with Nikhil Kumar striking twice and Karthik Swamy adding a third.
Almeida revealed the focus has shifted sharply from damage control to proactive football.
“We are in preparation for the next match, focused more on how we are going to attack against Lakshadweep. That has been the key point,” he said.
Inside the Goan dressing room, there is disappointment, but also defiance.
“Everybody is upset. It’s sad because the performance in the first half was not reflected in the full-time score. But this is not the end,” Almeida stressed.
“It’s not about winning or losing. It’s about pride right now. If we want to salvage some pride, it’s important that we start with a win tomorrow — and then we see how to approach the Karnataka match,” he signed off.
