FC Goa head coach Zico is hopeful of a turnaround in their fortunes when they take on hosts Atlético de Kolkata in the 2016 Hero Indian Super League (ISL) at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium on Sunday. The Gaurs, who scored maximum goals last year and reached the final, have started their new campaign off on the wrong foot losing all their three matches so far to prop up the league. However, Zico hopes his team will soon be able to leave behind those defeats besides acknowledging that it will be an uphill task for them from here on.“I think all the games that we have ahead of us are difficult games now and we need to have the strength to try and avert the situation that we are in now,” the Brazilian told reporters on Saturday.“If you see we have got no points now but if we win this game, then we will just be behind Kolkata. I think they have five points. Nothing is lost and we have got to be perseverant and continue giving our best. Whether you are first or fourth in the standings it doesn't matter, we just got to be there in the top 4.”Another thing that doesn't bode well for the Gaurs is that they haven't beaten ATK before, in the six encounters between them (two ATK wins and four draws) so far, and it was also the Kolkatan team that had inflicted on them a 4-2 defeat on penalties in the semis of the 2014 Hero ISL. Zico understands they face a tough road ahead. “Kolkata have a very nice team, a very good attack but we are going to do our best in our defence to neutralize their power and play our best in this game ahead of us,” he said.When asked if they were planning to mark ATK's marquee man Helder Postiga man-to-man, Zico said: “You can see in our games we never mark man-to-man, so our philosophy tomorrow will be zonal. Of course, we have to pay attention to how certain players play but we will stick to our philosophy of marking by zones.”The 63-year-old also informed his team was facing no injury concerns and every player in the squad was available for selection for Sunday's encounter.
