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Igor Angulo’s sixth goal of the season propelled FC Goa to their second win on trot, this time getting the better of Odisha FC 1-0. The three points helped FC Goa climb to 4th place on the ISL table with eight points from their five games.
FC Goa was dominant throughout and ended up with 679 passes with a success rate of 80%. The Gaurs also had 20 shots on goal and but for an inspired performance by Arshdeep Singh in the Odisha FC goal, the scoreline could have been much harsher for the ‘home’ team.
Juan Ferrando rang in the changes again, this time resting captain Edu Bedia. Alberto Noguera replaced his fellow Spaniard in midfield while Lenny Rodrigues was given the captain’s armband.
The Gaurs were the quickest off the blocks, dominating possession and probing away at the Odisha FC backline. Jorge Ortiz looked particularly threatening in the opening minutes with the Spaniard running the show on Goa’s left flank.
After some dominant display, the Gaurs finally tested the keeper in the 28th minute, sending Arshdeep scrambling to his left to thwart the ‘away side’. That was after some delightful play on the right which led to Brandon finding space to get a cross in. The Goa No. 10’s ball into the box took a wicked deflection and nearly gave the Gaurs a lead in the opening 30 minutes.
The positivity finally paid off for FC Goa in the second minute of added on time. Good pressure in the opposing half saw the Gaurs reclaim the ball in an advanced position. Noguera found a rampaging Romario on the left. The winger did well to sell a shoulder fake before crossing it low into the middle where Igor Angulo laid awaiting.
The Spaniard outfoxed Jonathan Pratt with a deft touch to work out space before unleashing a low shot across the goal to put FC Goa into the lead.
The ‘home’ side came out the brighter of the two following the break. A ball from the left found Jerry in the box. The winger got the better of Saviour Gama, but couldn’t find the target.
The Gaurs looked to reply immediately and created three good chances in the following five minutes to again regain the impetus in proceedings.
FC Goa kept the pressure up and the 64th minute saw Arshdeep come big for Odisha FC to deny a second. A delightful ball from Gama found Angulo in the box again, the forward’s shot on the stretch was fortunately straight at the keeper who showed good reflexes to keep the score 1-0.
The Odisha FC keeper was again back in action a few seconds later, this time to deny Jorge Ortiz as the Spaniard looked to curl one in with his left.
FC Goa again came close to get their second in the 74th minute. Princeton Rebello, who came on in the second half in place of Lenny Rodrigues curled a beautiful ball into the path of Angulo with the outside of the boot. The Spaniard got the better of Gaurav Bora on pace but failed to find the target from an acute angle.
Ortiz was again on target in the 83rd minute. The Spaniard skipped away from a challenge before unleashing a low shot from 30 odd yards out. Arshdeep was again equal to the task, diving low to his right to effect the save.
The 89th minute gave FC Goa arguably the best chance to double their lead. Princeton was again on the mark with his pass, this time finding Len Doungel. The man from Manipur nodded the ball into the path of an onrushing Ortiz. The Spaniard’s attempt on his first touch though lacked conviction. Doungel was the first to react to the rebound but found his three successive attempts blocked.
The Hero Of The Match, Ortiz would again test Arshdeep in the dying minutes only to see the custodian yet again stand up to the task.
The final whistle brought an end to a game that the Gaurs might have won just 1-0, but dominated right from the start and looked to be in control throughout.
The Gaurs will be back in action on December 16 when they take on ATK Mohun Bagan at the Fatorda Stadium. That game is slated for a 7:30pm IST kickoff.
