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FC Goa became the third team to make it through to the quarter finals of the 130th Durand Cup after getting the better of Sudeva Delhi FC 2-1, courtesy of goals from Muhammed Nemil and Spaniard Jorge Ortiz Mendoza, at the Saltlake Stadium in Kolkata on Monday. William scored from a penalty for Sudeva.
The two sides clashed in a Group B encounter and fortunes could not have been more diverse for the two sides in the end. While FC Goa maintained a 100% win record after two games, Sudeva have now gone down in both theirs and are out of the reckoning.
The game played again under heavy underfoot conditions and at times in heavy rain, had to be completed under the powerful lights of the Saltlake Stadium in the second half.
There were no clear cut chances created in the first-half of the game although Sudeva Delhi did manage to get a couple of half-chances. Most of the FC Goa moves were happening from the right flank with Man of the Match Seriton Fernandes, Romario Jesuraj and Spaniard Alberto Noguera Ripoll combining well.
Just when one thought that the half would end goalless, Nemil unleashed a powerful left-footed curler from outside the box in the second and final minute of added time to beat keeper Sachin Jha comprehensively. It was a terrific strike and came from nowhere from a talented young midfielder.
Sudeva Delhi began the second-half on the front foot and determined to equalise. They did create two chances within the first 10 minutes but could not convert.
Coach Chencho Dorji affected the changes for Sudeva Delhi in search for an equaliser but the Delhi team sufferred yet another setback losing first choice keeper Sachin to injury.
FC Goa on the other hand were going from strength to strength. In the 63rd minute Noguera missed a relatively simple one on one with the Sudeva replacement keeper Legend Singh, hitting straight at him.
That would be his last contribution to the game as a minute later FC Goa gaffer Juan Ferrando affected a triple change bringing in Noguera’s fellow Spaniards Edu Bedia and Jorge Ortiz Mendoza along wtih Brison Fernandes to replace him besides Glan Martins and goal scorer Nemil.
The change worked as Ortiz scored the second for Goa in the 80th minute with a shot from just outside the box which beat Legend, struck the underside of the crossbar and fell in before coming out.
Sudeva Delhi did manage a consolation very late in injury time when William Pauliankhum converted a spot kick thanks to a foul by Edu Bedia in the box, but it was too late.
