NEW DELHI: There were eight of them, and now they are four. Time for trials and errors are over. It's time for serious business at the second edition of the Indian Super League. First up is the fourth-placed Delhi Dynamos versus table-toppers FC Goa in the first leg of the first semifinal at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Friday.
It was just last Sunday, in the final league game of the season, hosts Delhi suffered a disappointing 2-3 defeat to Goa after leading the game 2-0 for almost 70 minutes. The win catapulted Goa to the top and gave them the chance to play second leg of the playoffs at home, a big strategic advantage.
Roberto Carlos-led Dynamos will look to get better of the side which beat them in both the league games. The hosts will need all the advantages they can garner at their home ground before heading to the bastion of the dominant Zico-led Goan side four days later.
Since they played their last game five days ago, both teams must have given their players enough rest and also worked to rectify whatever chinks they have seen in their armours. Now the contest will be a notch tougher as teams have seen others from close quarters after playing each other twice so far.
The 'pupil' Carlos has to come up with a trump card this time round to derail the 'master' Zico, because so far master seems to have all the answers.
"The semi-final is of 180 minutes, so tomorrow, nothing will be decided. We have to keep performing like we did in the first half of the last game. For us, this is going to be a nice game. We will do our duty but the match will be decided in Goa," Carlos said in the pre-match media briefings on Thursday.
Carlos though said that he is here to win the title for Delhi and finishing second or third is out of question.
"I still have three matches here and I want to take Delhi to the final. For me, finishing second or third is like finishing last," said the Brazilian World Cup winner.
On the other hand, Goa have reached semifinals in the inaugural season too, before going down to the eventual winners Atletico de Kolkata on penalties. Therefore, coach Zico said that his players have more experience of playing in the playoffs than their opponents, but also highlighted that his team is very different from the last one.
"Our players are a little bit more experienced from last year, so they are more used to such situations. But this is a completely different team where we changed about 15 players. Not just us, even Delhi is a completely different team (from last year)," said Zico.
"I hope we can improve. Last year we got to the semi-final and lost. This year, we hope to win and reach the final. There were a lot of expectations from us and we played good football and a fair game," said Zico.
On the injury concerns which bothered Goa in the league stages, Zico said, "Thank God, no injuries."
The return leg will be played in Goa on December 15.
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