Having confirmed a second-placed finish, FC Goa will take on visiting Mohammedan SC in their Indian Super League (ISL) match here on Tuesday.
The Gaurs have been assured of a second-placed finish after the fourth-placed Jamshedpur FC dropped points with a 1-1 draw with Kerala Blasters.
With two games in hand, the Red Miners can only get to a maximum of 44 points now, which would still fall short of FC Goa’s current tally of 45 points from 22 matches.
The third-positioned Bengaluru FC have 38 points from 23 matches. This means that the Gaurs are set to directly play the semi-finals and would not have to engage in the one-legged eliminator in the playoffs.
Mohammedan Sporting have lost four times and drawn once in their previous five games, having 12 points from 22 games.
The previous fixture between these two sides ended in a 1-1 draw on September 21, 2024. Another draw here would make Mohammedan Sporting only the third team that FC Goa have drawn against in their first two ISL meetings, after Mumbai City FC (2014) and East Bengal FC (2020-21).
FC Goa have won each of their last four home games in the ISL. A victory in this game would make it the third time in their history that they register five or more straight home wins in a single season, after seven triumphs on the bounce in 2019-20 and five in 2023-24.
FC Goa have been lethal from distance this season, as Carl McHugh’s strike against Punjab FC was their ninth goal from outside the box this season. Another such strike will see them become only the fifth team in the ISL to hammer 10+ goals away from the 18-yard box in a single campaign.
Mohammedan Sporting kept a clean sheet in their last away game against Odisha FC (0-0 on February 28). The only time they managed consecutive shutouts this season was in January.
Their three away clean sheets in 2025 are the joint-most by any ISL team (alongside Mohun Bagan Super Giant).
