Ahead of the first leg of their semi-final against FC Goa in New Delhi on Friday, Delhi Dynamos FC marquee player-cum-coach Roberto Carlos has urged his players to emulate their first-half performance against the Gaurs in the last game of the league stage of the 2015 Hero Indian Super League. On December 6 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, the Lions went into the break leading 2-0 but when they came back they were a shadow of their former selves and lost the game 3-2 through two goals from Romeo Fernandes and one from Joffre.

“It’s 180 minutes [over two legs]. So tomorrow there is no decision. That’s why we have to perform the way we did in the first half of the last game. I’m sure it’s going to be a very nice game. Tomorrow we will do our duty but the decision will be in Goa,” Carlos, whose team lost both their away and home games against FC Goa earlier in the season, told reporters on Thursday.

Star players John Arne Riise and Florent Malouda also accompanied Carlos to the press conference, and when asked whether Goa were in the driver’s seat as they were playing the second leg at home on December 15, Riise offered a different perspective.

“People talk about preferring to play the second game at home. But if you do well at home, you will go with confidence into the away game. That’s what we will try to do tomorrow. Like we played the first half of the last game - to win. But it will be a tough game. We want to have a good start and go to Goa with confidence,” the Norwegian said.

The Hero ISL doesn’t have the “away goal” rule to decide the winners in the semis in case the teams are tied on aggregate over two legs. Malouda and Riise shared their thoughts on the matter. “I wouldn’t say what I prefer. Usually, when you reach this stage, there is this rule. But we are in the ISL and we have to adapt to the rules. I have no preference. My preference is to reach the final,” Malouda said.“I agree with Malouda. Players don’t think much about it. We want to win both the games. We are used to that rule but sometimes you have to adapt,” Riise weighed in.