KOCHI: Two teams right in the middle of the battle for a spot in the play-offs of the Indian Super League are FC Goa and NorthEast United and their Thursday's showdown takes added significance in that regard. While the Gaurs sit in the fourth and final berth for the play-offs, the Highlanders are level on points with the Goan outfit and are below Juan Ferrando's men only down to goal difference.
NorthEast have revived their campaign in spectacular fashion after the departure of Gerard Nus with interim coach Khalid Jamil guiding them to three back to back victories including wins over Mumbai City and ATK Mohun Bagan.
"The pressure exists all the time, but I think that is good for the league. Everyone has a difference of three to four points more or less and we have not relaxed. Every game is important and our mentality is to get three points in every game," said Ferrando while admitting that there will be pressure when the players take to the field.
While the race for top four is wide open, the Spaniard only wants to focus on the task at hand and what his team can control. "I'm not thinking about the two or three teams below or above us. Our focus is Goa," said Ferrando.
Goa will be without some of their key players with skipper Edu Bedia out suspended and Brandon Fernandes nursing an injury but the team are on a good run at the moment having gone seven games unbeaten.
NorthEast knows that the task at hand is not easy but they would look to bank on their purple patch under Jamil. "I would like to give credit to coach Khalid, the technical director (Ohad Efrat) as well as all the coaching staff and players. We haven't changed anything (after Nus' exit)," said NorthEast's assistant coach Alison Kharsyntiew.
"We have focused only on strengthening our attacking and defending principles in order to play better football. We have seen the effort of the players and hopefully they will continue till the end of the season," added Kharsyntiew suggesting that there were no magic formulas behind their recent success.
A win will catapult them to third in the table and NorthEast want to be prepared as the race for top four intensifies. "FC Goa are a good team with good players and with a very good coach in Juan Ferrando. We have analysed them and we have to approach the game well," said Alison.
They could welcome back centre-back Dylan Fox from injury and the Australian could start on Thursday which will come as an added boost as they will look to their first clean sheet in nine matches.