Kamal Ghorui
Panaji: FC Goa midfielder Ayush Chhetri will have to opt out of the national team camp due to concussion during the clash against Chennaiyin FC on Sunday.The club’s medical staff has confirmed that the player suffered from concussion early in the second half, prompting him to leave the field in the 57th minute.Ayush was later taken to the hospital, and as per FIFA guidelines, will now need adequate rest before he is allowed back on the field.“As per FIFA guidelines, concussion treatment is underpinned by relative rest. His body and mind needs suitable time to recover,” said a senior official.Ayush was among the two players from Goa who were selected by coach Khalid Jamil for India’s AFC Asian Cup 2027 final round qualifier against Hong Kong on March 31. Captain Sandesh Jhingan will join the camp in Kochi on Monday.“Ayush is in the hospital,” coach Manolo Marquez said at the post-match media interaction. “He had a knock and was taken to the hospital. I hope he can attend the national team camp. He deserves to be with the national team.”Manolo was speaking after his side staged another comeback to steal a point from Chennaiyin as the match ended 1-1, thanks to Jhingan’s late header. Goa started slowly, but it was not until the substitutions in the second half – Abdul Rabeeh, Raynier Fernandes, Harsh Patre around the hour mark – that the Super Cup champions got a toehold in the game.“I think the score is fair because we reacted only after the goal, which could have been avoided. We didn’t play a good game. This is not to say anyone is guilty, but we are always with the same 11 and the starters are very comfortable. Today, I am very satisfied with the players who entered from the bench, all of them, because they changed the game completely. “We are unbeaten after six matches, I think the players have a lot of merit. I know there are three consecutive draws (East Bengal, Punjab, Chennaiyin), all away. People don’t know how difficult it is for one team with just two foreigners. They can say whatever they want, but ten points after six games unbeaten, for me, is very good,” said Manolo.
