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FC Goa will play their 14th match of the Indian Super League 2021-22 season on Friday, when they take on Jamshedpur FC at The SAG Athletic Stadium in Bambolim.
Currently placed ninth, a win would greatly benefit the Gaurs in their hunt for booking a play-off spot. Jamshedpur FC, meanwhile, are positioned comfortably at third place.
As head coach Derrick Pereira and his boys take the pitch on Friday, a lot of hopes will be pinned on Jorge Ortiz Mendoza. The 29-year-old is in good form, having notched four goals and five assists in 11 games so far. He was also one of the Gaurs’ best performers in the recent draw against Bengaluru FC.
A day before the clash against Jamshedpur FC, we sat down with Ortiz to hear his thoughts.
“We already know our opponents (Jamshedpur FC) and we know what we should expect. They are very well-worked by their coach, and hence it’s going to be a difficult match against a very competitive team,” the Spaniard began. He was a part of the FC Goa side that lost to Jamshedpur FC earlier this season.
After the match against Bengaluru FC, Derrick Pereira had opined that his team’s finishing needs to improve. When asked for his thoughts on the same, Ortiz replied, “I will do my best to help the team, and so will all my teammates. It is everyone’s job and we want to be higher up the points table, because it is possible.”
After a tense initial phase, FC Goa slowly found their footing in the clash against Bengaluru FC and also took an important lead in the 41st minute. However, they could not close out the game once again and a 61st minute equaliser from Sunil Chhetri meant that both teams shared the points. Despite the draw, Jorge Ortiz had a few important takeaways from the match.
“I think the first half was very positive for us, in all aspects,” he said. “However, we have to keep it up for the full 90 minutes to get the results. I hope to win the next match now.”
Just like most of his teammates, Ortiz also does not have many pleasant memories of the bio-bubble life in the league this season. “It’s a very complicated situation and only those of us who live it can know. We do everything possible to be physically and mentally well, and hopefully everything will normalise a little soon,” he hoped.
Having completed 13 matches in the league stage, FC Goa have seven more games to see off before the playoffs begin. Although they are in ninth place right now, a few wins could propel them to the top-four, thereby helping them qualify for the next stage of the competition for the fifth straight season in a row.
However, the forward does not want to think about those long-term goals for the time being. He is focused only on the next match in sight.
“I’ve already said this, and I’ll say this again – it’s not good for us to think in the long term because football is the present. The next three points at stake are in tomorrow’s game, and we have to get those points first,” Ortiz signed off.
