Latest news with #SuperCup2025
The Hindu
04-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Outgoing coach Manolo Marquez urges FC Goa to hold onto its players after Super Cup success
FC Goa manager Manolo Marquez said his side was the deserved champion of the Super Cup 2025 following its 3-0 final triumph against Jamshedpur FC at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Saturday. Borja Herrera bagged a brace while Dejan Drazic sealed the deal to ensure that Marquez walked away with a trophy in his final game at the club. It also confirmed Goa's participation in continental competition after a break of four years, booking a spot in the AFC Champions League Two (ACL2) 2025-26 season. 'It has been a great tournament for us. We have a fantastic group of players, and they completely deserve to be the champions,' Marquez said during the post-match press conference. 'When we arrived here, we knew that we needed to win four games. And we did it,' he added while donning a wide smile. READ | FC Goa wins Super Cup 2025, beats Jamshedpur in Manolo Marquez's swansong For Marquez, the journey has not been a bed of roses. After enjoying success with Hyderabad FC, where he won the Indian Super League 2021-22 title, Marquez joined the Gaurs in 2023 and led them to the ISL Cup semifinals in consecutive seasons. However, he failed at the same stage on both occasions, losing to Mumbai City FC and Bengaluru FC, respectively. He also finished second in the race for the ISL League Shield this season, finishing behind Mohun Bagan Super Giant, which eventually ended up securing the domestic double. So, the trophy could not have come at a better time for Marquez, who will now exclusively coach the Indian men's national football team. The Spaniard lauded his current group of players for the harmony in the dressing room and affirmed that this was the reason for its success. 'This year, the group was very strong. They are friends more than teammates, which is very difficult to find,' Marquez said. 'I feel that this club may not be the best in India in terms of titles. But in terms of organisation, I think FC Goa is the best,' he added. When asked about FCG's chances of enjoying success next season in the league and on the continental level, Marquez urged the need for the club to hold onto its players. 'Speaking from my experience in India, continuity is very, very important. Now, in modern football, with the agents, the players move around constantly,' said Marquez. 'But if you get to keep the same group of players, usually the results are better every season. I believe that it would be a big mistake to destroy this group,' he signed off.
The Hindu
03-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Goa gives Marquez a perfect parting gift
'Good things come to those who wait' goes a popular saying. Head coach Manolo Marquez certainly waited until the very last moment to lift a piece of silverware with FC Goa. After two seasons of near misses, Marquez finally had a trophy in his arms as Goa beat Jamshedpur FC 3-0 in the Super Cup 2025 final at the Kalinga Stadium here on Saturday. Borja Herrera scored in either half, while Dejan Drazic sealed the deal to help the Gaurs secure an AFC Champions League Two Preliminary Round spot and a second Super Cup title. 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐈𝐍 𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐀𝐀𝐀𝐀!!!🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳 We are packing some Rechado Masala for the Asian continent! 🥵🌶️ Presenting your Kalinga Super Cup 2025 Champions, FC Goa, arriving soon in the AFC Champions League 2 playoffs! 🫡 — FC Goa (@FCGoaOfficial) May 3, 2025 Marquez's men opened the scoring in the 23rd minute when left-back Aakash Sangwan's shot was saved by Albino Gomes before the ball fell in front of Borja inside the box. His first shot was blocked brilliantly in front of goal by Stephen Eze, and fortunately for the Spaniard, the ball came right back to him and this time he made no mistake of smashing it into the back of the net for his third goal of the campaign. At the other end, the Red Miners came close to scoring in the dying minutes of the first half when Lazar Cirkovic's header from the edge of the box struck the crossbar. While Borja's first strike required a bit of luck, his second was pure skill and precision. Six minutes into the second half, he collected the ball in the middle of the pitch and drove into space before lashing at the ball with his left boot's lace. A stretching Gomes could only watch helplessly as the ball glided into the top right corner. They put the final nail in the coffin when Carl McHugh spotted Drazic's run in the final third with a defence-splitting through ball. The Serbian took a touch to take the ball past an advancing Gomes and slotted it into the goal. It was a perfect parting gift for Marquez, who will now focus solely on his duties with the Indian men's football team. The result: Goa 3 (Borja 23, 51, Drazic 72) bt JFC 0.
The Hindu
03-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
FC Goa vs Jamshedpur FC LIVE streaming info: Where to watch FCG v JFC Super Cup final 2025; Preview
PREVIEW One last dance, one final shot at glory — that's what's on the line for Manolo Marquez as he leads FC Goa in his final match on Saturday against Jamshedpur FC in the Super Cup final at the Kalinga Stadium. After juggling two hats as FC Goa's head coach and India's national team manager, Marquez will soon focus solely on his duties with the Indian men's football team. But before that, he has a golden opportunity to sign off from Goa in style. Read full preview HERE When will the FC Goa vs Jamshedpur FC Super Cup 2025 final match kick off? The FC Goa vs Jamshedpur FC Super Cup 2025 final match will kick off at 7:30 PM IST on Saturday, May 3 at the Kalinga Stadium. Where to watch the FC Goa vs Jamshedpur FC Super Cup 2025 final match? The FC Goa vs Jamshedpur FC Super Cup 2025 final match will be telecast on the Star Network. The match will also be live-streamed on the JioHotstar app and website.
The Hindu
02-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Will Khalid & Co. spoil Marquez's bid for a fairytale ending at FC Goa?
FC Goa head coach Manolo Marquez will look to rally his men for one last time and secure his first silverware at the club when it takes on Jamshedpur FC in the Super Cup 2025 final at the Kalinga Stadium here on Saturday. Goa breezed past a second-string Mohun Bagan Super Giant 3-1 in the semifinals while JFC edged Mumbai City FC 1-0. With an AFC Champions League 2 (ACL2) Preliminary Round spot up for grabs, a win will be a perfect parting gift for Marquez, who will shift his focus towards managing the Indian men's national team. Third time's the charm Marquez will hope that the third time's the charm for him against his opposite number, Khalid Jamil, who became the first gaffer to do an Indian Super League double over Marquez since he arrived on Indian shores in 2020. However, the Spanish coach affirmed that none of the past results were playing on his or the players' minds. Different challenge 'Every game is different. Now, it's just about two teams trying to win one game to secure a slot in the Asian competition,' Marquez said during the pre-match press conference. Leading the charge The overseas players have led the charge for Goa, scoring six out of its eight goals in the tournament so far. Spanish forward Iker Guarrotxena has found the back of the net four times, while Borja Herrera has scored twice. On the other hand, in contrast to its league campaign, where it conceded the second-most goals, JFC's defence has been its strongest suit so far in the competition and is yet to concede a goal. Now, as the curtains are set to be pulled on a gruelling season of Indian club football, can Marquez end his reign over the Gaurs on a high, or will Khalid play spoilsport and lead JFC to its first-ever continental football?
The Hindu
02-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Super Cup: From dressing up as a footballer to becoming one, Brison Fernandes eyes another crown with Goa
The dream of playing professional football usually starts with a ball at one's feet. For Brison Fernandes, it began at a fancy dress competition. 'When I was in kindergarten, I had to participate in a fancy dress event. My dad dressed me up as a football player. He bought me shoes, and I think I was wearing a yellow Brazil national team jersey,' Brison recalled. 'From that day onwards, I wanted to be a football player,' he said. Over a decade later, Brison signed for the reserve side of Indian Super League (ISL) side FC Goa (FCG) and then made heads turn in the 2024-25 season. He scored seven goals and assisted two more in 24 appearances, bagging the Emerging Player of the Season. From the shores of Goa to the summit of the Indian Super League! 🏆 Our starboy 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐬 is the ISL 2024-25 Emerging Player of the Season! 🔥🧡 — FC Goa (@FCGoaOfficial) April 12, 2025 Among Indians, the midfielder's goal tally was second only to Sunil Chhetri (14) as he helped FCG reach the Cup semifinals, where the Gaurs lost to Bengaluru FC. The 24-year-old has carried that momentum into Super Cup 2025, where he opened Goa's scoring in the semifinal as his side went on to eliminate ISL Cup and Shield winner Mohun Bagan Super Giant. RELATED: Manolo Marquez's FC Goa ends Mohun Bagan's campaign to enter Super Cup 2025 final Speaking to Sportstar before the final against Jamshedpur FC on May 3, Brison credited FCG head coach Manolo Marquez for putting his faith in him and giving him ample game time. 'Coach (Marquez) has always believed in me. He used to tell me that I have a lot of talent while also urging me to make some changes for improvement,' Brison said. 'It was not just on the pitch, he helped me get better off it as well, advising me on my recovery, my diet and so on. He made me a complete player,' he added. Manolo Marquez, head coach of FC Goa, cheers Brison Ferandes during an Indian Super League match. | Photo Credit: FSDL/ISL Media Marquez, in a previous interview, had heaped praise on the youngster, justifying his selection to the first team. 'Brison is a typical Goan player. He enjoys playing football. He has passed the situation that he underwent last season, where there was an air of uncertainty around his football. He is enjoying every minute of the game, and this is very important,' Marquez told Indian Super 'I speak a lot with him because he is a fantastic guy, and I keep asking him to be humble and to keep going, as he is still young, and he will reach the level that he wants to,' he added. From Loutolim to National team Born in the scenic Loutolim village in South Goa, Brison grew up kicking the ball around with odds stacked against him. 'I used to play with people above my age. Despite them being bigger and older than me, I used to just enjoy playing, and that's probably when I knew that I could go a step further,' Brison says. He played at the under-12 level in his school, then with Goa-based Salgaocar FC's U14 before joining the ISL side two years later, where he rose up the ranks to finally win the Durand Cup in 2021, his first and only senior trophy so far. Brison Fernandes poses with trophies after winning the Durand Cup in 2021, beating Mohammedan Sporting in the final. | Photo Credit: Instagram/Brison Fernandes But it was his 2024-25 stint that earned him a maiden National team call-up, against Bangladesh in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifier on March 25. 'It was a very big moment for me and my family. I was very happy after seeing my name on that list. It is every footballer's dream to represent their country and wear the badge on the pitch,' Brison reflects. The midfielder came on as a second-half substitute in the goalless draw. 'I was very nervous in the first few minutes, but once I completed 2-3 passes, I felt comfortable. Knowing the coach (Marquez) from my club level also helped me adjust to the game,' he says. ALSO READ: India to face Thailand in international friendly in June ahead of AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers When asked about the current struggles of the national team, Brison asserted that progress takes patience. 'You cannot just change everything overnight. It will take time, but I am sure that it will happen,' he quips. Brison no longer has to pretend to be a footballer on stage, he is one. Having won one trophy with the Gaurs, he now eyes another on Saturday, living his dream and enjoying his vocation as one of the brightest young talents in India.
