AFC Champions League 2: FC Goa seeks first ACL2 points in ‘David vs Goliath’ battle against Al Nassr

FC Goa head coach Manolo Marquez did his best to diffuse the immense pressure ahead of the much-awaited AFC Champions League Two (ACL2) match against Al Nassr to be played at the Fatorda Stadium in Margao on Wednesday.

«Football is defending, passing and switching. We know they are a strong team, but we will go into the match with a good mentality,» said the experienced Spaniard, focusing on the aspect that it is imperative to get the basics right, regardless of any team.

However, his optimism could hardly mask the looming pressure enveloping FC Goa ahead of a ‘David vs Goliath’ match against the Saudi giants.

Where do the teams stand?

Al Nassr have maintained a perfect record so far and top Group D with six points. They achieved a 5-0 victory against FC Istiklol in the opening match, before recording a 2-0 victory against Al Zawraa SC.

FC Goa, on the other hand, has had a rough start and despite phases of promising football, has failed to deliver results, leaving the team at the bottom of the table. The Gaurs started their ACL2 campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Al Zawraa SC before losing to Istiklol by the same margin.

Al Nasr’s Terrifying Attack

Given their penchant for pressing football, the tie should mainly come down to Al Nassr’s attack versus FC Goa’s defense as it is difficult to see the Gaurs getting too much action in the final third.

Al Nassr tends to stretch his opponent and make full use of the field with his extensive flank play. With Sadio Mane on the left and Kingsley Coman on the right, the likes of Akash Sangwan and Boris Singh Thangjam will have their plates full if they want to stop those constant crosses from getting into the box.

READ ALSO | Ronaldo’s availability questionable; Felix and Mane ready for FC Goa vs Al Nassr ACL 2 draw

Goa will have the experience of Sandesh Jhinga and Pol Moreno manning the heart of the defense and that is a big responsibility in this match as they would have to reduce the attacking threat of Joao Felix who is in impeccable form and comes into the match after scoring a hat-trick against Al Fateh in the Saudi Pro League.

While Jorge Jesus won’t have the luxury of Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal threat and off-the-ball moves in the box, Abdulrahman Ghareeb will look to shine alongside Felix. A crafty forward, with the ability to time excellent runs behind the defence, Ghareeb can score as well as create. He already has one goal and two assists in his current ACL 2 campaign.

Where can Goa capitalize?

If FC Goa’s ACL2 games so far are anything to go by, they have the quality to string together attacking moves and put pressure on their opponents’ backline. But it should be noted that Al Nassr’s threat level is significantly higher than that of teams like Al Zaawra and Istiklol.

While defensive stability is of paramount importance, Goa’s best will lie in exploiting the breaks and using the pace of players like Dezan Drazic and Brandon Fernandes. With Javier Siverio likely to lead Goa’s forward line, he is a good option to have in the box, especially given his aerial ability, but he must deal with the presence of Inigo Martinez, who is definitely ahead of Siverio in terms of experience. Under these circumstances, capitalizing from set pieces will also be important for the Gaurs.

The fatigue factor

Match fitness can prove to be the biggest difference in a football match, even more so than quality on paper. Al Nassr leads FC Goa in both departments.

FC Goa’s lack of regular football will worry Marquez, while most of Al Nassr’s players have regularly played competitive football, both at club level and internationally.

No Ronaldo, but stars galore

As expected, most of the questions to Al Nassr boss Jorge Jesus were about Ronaldo’s absence.

«Everyone loves Cristiano Ronaldo, and he has many fans. We have decided to rest him when we play outside Saudi Arabia. Everyone wants to see and meet him, but we have chosen to keep him in Riyadh in preparation for the next match,» Jorge Jesus told reporters.

Despite the absence of the Portuguese star, Al Nassr has players who can dazzle the crowd with their football. While Marquez urged fans to be realistic about Goa getting a result against the Saudi giants, he indicated that even the most partisan FC Goa fans at the Fatorda Stadium will be excited to see their favorite team take on a top-order opponent.

Published on October 21, 2025