ISL: Goa forward Ortiz all praise for Chennaiyin’s defence

FC Goa forward Jorge Ortiz was pure poetry in motion during the Indian Super League 2020-21 in Goa. While the Spaniard has been influential whenever he has played in the ongoing ISL Season 8 in Goa, his club has looked a shadow of its past and is still reeling from the effects of ex-manager Juan Ferrando’s sudden departure.

With the back firmly to the wall, the versatile Ortiz is determined than ever to dig Goa out of the hole it currently finds itself in. The Goan outfit, which has made the play-off grade an impressive six times in seven ISL seasons, is languishing at the ninth spot on the table with just nine points from as many matches.

“I started the season with an [ankle] injury. I then picked up a red card against Bengaluru FC (which resulted in a two-match suspension). I need to forget what happened [earlier this season] and believe in myself. Being an important player, I will have to take up the responsibility [of guiding the team],” said Ortiz, who has made six goal contributions (three goals and three assists) in seven appearances despite not being at his destructive best. “We are in a difficult situation; we need more points than other teams [to qualify for the play-offs]. If we think about our position on the table or our chances of qualification, the job will only get tougher. We just need to go all out for the three points [every time],” added Ortiz.

Ortiz’s next assignment at the Athletic Stadium in Bambolim on Saturday could be a challenging one as the Chennaiyin FC defence has been watertight barring a couple of occasions.

Speaking on the eve of the Goa-Chennaiyin fixture, the 29-year-old acknowledged that a tough battle awaits the Edu Bedia-led team. “We know that we have a difficult match on our hands. It (CFC) is one of the best teams if not the best team in the League as far as defending is concerned. Being an attacking player, this match maybe difficult for me. When Chennaiyin stays compact, we may have problems on the counter-attacks. We need to be better in terms of mobility, passing and speed,” Ortiz went on to add.