Panaji: Gouramangi Singh feels it’s “just a matter of time” before the results start showing at FC Goa.Since the start of the season, Goa have won just one of their five competitive matches, four of them in Asian football. Their only game in the Indian Super League (ISL) ended in a draw against Chennaiyin FC, who have lost two of their three games and have only a point. Now, they return to domestic football. But even though there are question marks over the team’s ability to entertain, grind out results, and match the teams of old, coach Gouramangi has called for patience.“Of course, when it comes to results, there are no excuses, but this is a new team with several players making their debuts in the top tier,” Gouramangi told TOI on Tuesday. “I have no complaints about what the boys did in the ACL (AFC Challenge League). They showed a desire to win, and tried hard too. Let’s remember this is a new team. I would have been worried if the boys are not feeling good about each other or they’re not feeling good about what we are trying to do as a team. Then it would be a bad moment for me.”After the unexpected AFC Challenge League (ACL) group-stage exit, Goa will be put to test against SC Delhi at the Nehru Stadium in Fatorda on Wednesday.The visitors are at the bottom of the pool after losing both games, but nobody will be fooled by looking at just the points table. In both games, Delhi were hugely competitive and had some brilliant moments against much stronger sides like Mohun Bagan SG and Bengaluru FC.“They may have lost both games, but they were good. They were leading but could not hold on (to the leads). That’s football. We too have learned our lessons in Kuwait. We want to go out there and win,” said Gouramangi.Five Goa players were either unavailable or not fully fit for the concluding ACL group-stage clash against Qadsia SC last week. The good news is that at least three of them – Prachit Gaonkar, Bob Raj and Isak Vanlalruatfela – have recovered and are available for selection, while Aakash Sangwan and Harsh Patre will need time to regain full fitness.“The ten days in Kuwait where we spent time together, suffered on the field, understood each other (better) helped. The team is improving. I agree the results are not there but there are good things that do not always show up. For us, it’s important to win against Delhi. The boys are up for the challenge,” said Gouramangi.Despite two losses in a row, Delhi have been hugely competitive with coach Tomasz Tchorz confident in his side’s abilities.“I am very happy with the performance of the team,” Tchorz. “I think we played a very good game (against Bagan). We repeated what was a very good first half performance in Bengaluru. We were dangerous, created a lot of chances against a strong opponent but, unfortunately, we couldn’t score more goals.”
