This ISL has been a lot of things, but one thing you cannot complain about is the lack of drama. This week in particular has been marked by crucial contributions from Indian players. If CK Vineeth and Eugeneson Lyngdoh celebrated their return from Bengaluru FC duty with decisive contributions for Kerala Blasters and FC Pune City respectively, Kean Lewis combined forces with Florent Malouda in a strong Delhi Dynamos home performance on November 9.
Friday presented a unique occasion when hosts FC Goa had to start with nine Indian players in their starting XI. In their previous match against Kerala Blasters, they had seen key foreign players Gregory Arnolin and Richarlyson sent off. In an acrimonious post-match argument, Rafael Dumas and Luciano Sabrosa remonstrated long enough to earn themselves a two-match suspension. With Reinaldo, Lucio, Julio Cesar, Jofre Gonzalez and several of the Indian players yet to recover from injury, it was imperative for Robin Singh and Rafael Coelho to overcome fitness jitters and start. With four Indian substitutes -- two goalkeepers and two defenders -- making up the bench against NorthEast United, it was not inconceivable that head coach Zico may have been left with no outfield players by the end of the game.
There was no option but to soak up the pressure, and hit their opponents on the counter. They could pick a trick from the away team from the night before: Pune City packed their side with defensive players, with four of the five playing at the back being of Indian origin, and were rewarded for their patience with a late winner by Lyngdoh.
On Friday, NorthEast didn't do themselves any favours in Margao with their profligacy up front, with Nicolas Velez coming close on a few occasions. Laxmikant Kattimani, handed the Goa captain's armband, had his best game of the season. Coelho played an admirable role as a playmaker and Trindade Goncalves, the only other foreign player, kept the midfield compact by sitting ahead of the back four. Goa created openings in the first half too, but Robin Singh and Mandar Rao Desai failed to beat either the assistant referee's flag or Reagan Singh at right-back for the most part.
Trindade contributed to NorthEast's goal as a deflection off a Seityasen Singh shot wrong-footed Kattimani in goal. But it was Trindade's vision that opened up the play for Goa to get their equalizer, with a long ball finding Romeo Fernandes who squared the ball for Robin to get his first ISL goal in Goa colours.
It was no coincidence that Goa's two goals on the night came off the right, against Holicharan Narzary playing at left-back -- a sign that NorthEast coach Nelo Vingada isn't yet sure where to play the former Goa attacking player. That Fernandes' winner came after a second yellow for Sahil Tavora, in the last minute of added time and off a sublime Robin through ball, only added to the drama.
It was no less than what Goa deserved for a courageous, if somewhat unorthodox, performance. Nothing summed it up better than regular defender Fulganco Cardozo coming off the bench for Mandar and playing virtually as a striker.
It was Goa's first win at home in four matches this season and it kept their play-off hopes alive. Goa had lost two games where they scored first, but gave an opponent a taste of the same medicine for a change. To do so at the expense of NorthEast was important since they now find themselves on a five-match winless streak.
Crucially, FC Goa successfully made up for missing half their squad and all but two of their foreign players with the tried-and-tested method of fighting till the final whistle. They also managed to revive their insipid season.