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Yet another game did not go to plan for FC Goa on Tuesday evening, as they went down 0-2 to ATK Mohun Bagan at the SAG Athletic Stadium in Bambolim. A former Gaur in Manvir Singh came back to haunt the Men in Orange as his brace helped the Mariners take home all three points.
The Goan outfit had the lion’s share of possession, but could not convert that into goals as their playoff chances diminish further.
FC Goa head coach Derrick Pereira rang in two changes to his starting XI that beat Chennaiyin FC 5-0 last week. Defender Dylan Fox replaced Aibanbha Dohling while Edu Bedia made way for Glan Martins.
It was ATK Mohun Bagan who kick-started the proceedings in the first half. Within three minutes, they took the lead as Manvir headed home from Liston Colaco’s corner-kick.
The goal served as a wake-up call for FC Goa as they slowly found their footing. In the 14th and 16th minute, the Gaurs came close to scoring but the Mariners defence held their own to avert the danger.
In the 20th minute, Jorge Ortiz got a golden chance to bring the game back to level terms. A well-strung move led by Brandon Fernandes and Seriton Fernandes ultimately resulted in the Spaniard receiving the ball at the edge of the box, but his shot flew inches over the goal.
Fourteen minutes later, it was Anwar Ali’s turn to test ATKMB with a shot from distance, which rocked the crossbar after Amrinder Singh got his fingertips on it.
At the other end, Juan Ferrando’s boys occasionally tested the Goa defence but Dheeraj and Ivan Gonzalez kept them in the contest with their presence of mind.
Once the second half began, it took just 14 seconds for the Mariners to double their lead, with Manvir in the thick of things once again. Another former Gaur, Lenny Rodrigues dispossessed Princeton Rebello before passing it to Manvir, who then ran through the heart of the Goa defence before side-stepping Dheeraj and calmly netting his second of the night.
Five minutes later, the ATK Mohun Bagan forward almost had his hattrick but Dheeraj emerged the winner this time, making a fingertip save to deny the goal.
FC Goa’s biggest chance to pull one back came in the 69th minute through substitute Airam Cabrera. The 34-year-old received a pass inside the Mariners box and made a lovely turn to face Amrinder, but shot just wide from an acute angle.
As the half progressed, Ferrando’s boys improved in confidence and kept testing the FC Goa defence. Joni Kauko, Liston and Manvir got a handful of chances to bury the game but they could not make the most of their opportunities
Ultimately, Manvir Singh’s brace made all the difference, as ATK Mohun Bagan retained their second place on the points table. The defeat, meanwhile, see FC Goa remain on 18 points from their 17 games.
The Gaurs will return to action on Saturday, February 19, when they take on table-toppers Hyderabad FC.
