Panaji: By the time FC Goa take the field for their final group-stage clash against Qadsia SC at Mohammed Al Hamad Stadium in Kuwait on Friday, they will know exactly what they need to qualify for the quarterfinals of the AFC Challenge League.So far, Goa have had a bitter-sweet campaign. The Goan club started with a loss against FC Regar TadAZ of Tajikistan, after leading till the 85th minute, and then scored a hard-fought 2-1 win against Fortis FC to stay alive in the third tier of Asian football.“The win against Fortis was an important one, a good thing which shows that things change very fast in football,” said Goa coach Gouramangi Singh. “We were looking for this win because the boys worked very hard, they were committed and the desire to win was there right from the first minute. Now, there’s the all-important game against Qadsia.”Going into the final round of matches, Goa are third in the group with three points, the same as FC Regar-TadAZ, but the Tajikistan side is in an advantageous position due to the head-to-head advantage. Leading the group is Qadsia with maximum six points and now only need to avoid defeat against Goa to finish as group winners.Goa can qualify but for any calculation to kick in, Gouramangi’s team will need to collect all three points against the local giants since, besides the three West Zone group winners, the best second-placed side will also advance to the next stage.If Goa and Regar-TadAZ win their games, three teams will finish with six points in the group, paving the way for a mini tiebreaker where teams will be ranked on points obtained in these games, superior goal difference and highest number of goals scored. Lower score calculated according to the number of yellow and red cards received in group matches can also prove to be a factor.Bangladesh’s Fortis are at the bottom of the group after losing both matches and are out of the race.“It will be the final, a tough game, again,” said Gouramangi. “It’s important for us to recover well and make sure that everyone is available for selection. There have been back-to-back games but it’s the same for all teams. We will do everything possible for us to come back fresh and be ready to give the best fight possible. It’s important for us to win and qualify.”Goa would have been in a favourable position had they not surrendered their lead and lost the opener, after conceding twice in the last five minutes against Regar-TadAZ. The Super Cup champions then had to strike late for a favourable result against Fortis.
