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FC Goa began their Durand Cup 2023 group stage campaign in remarkable fashion on Tuesday, beating Shillong Lajong FC 6-0 at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati.
Rowllin Borges, Victor Rodriguez and Carlos Martinez scored goals on their professional debuts for the Men in Orange, while Noah Sadaoui picked up from where he left off last season by notching a hattrick.
FC Goa assistant coach Benito Montalvo led the Gaurs’ charge on Tuesday, in the absence of head coach Manolo Marquez who is serving a red-card suspension from the last season. The Argentinian tactician handed Sandesh Jhingan, Odei Onaindia and Rowllin Borges their first starts for the Club, while Carlos Martinez, Victor Rodriguez and Raynier Fernandes also made their debuts in the second half.
It took FC Goa just 15 minutes after kick-off to break the deadlock. Brandon found Devendra Murgaokar in the six-yard box with a free-kick, and the latter flicked the ball on to Borges to find the back of the net with ease.
Noah Sadaoui doubled their lead five minutes later, with Murgaokar once again in the thick of things as he laid the ball off for his teammate to finish into an empty goal, with the goalkeeper caught out of position.
The Moroccan international scored his second goal in the 27th minute, after latching on to a long pass played by Brandon from close to the half-way line and beating the keeper with a fine shot into the far corner of the net.
Substitutes turn up the heat for Goa in the second half
Following the change of ends, the Gaurs adopted a relaxed approach to playing the game, and were happy to just move the ball amongst themselves patiently in search of the next opportunity to strike.
This was finally delivered by substitute Sanson Pereira in the 68th minute, when he squared it to Victor Rodriguez from the edge of the six-yard box for the latter to score within minutes of coming on.
Carlos Martinez then added his own name to the scoresheet in the 83rd minute, while Sadaoui completed his hat-trick three minutes later to add the finishing touches to FC Goa’s first win of the season.
Next up for the Men in Orange in Group D of the Durand Cup, is a clash against fellow Indian Super League outfit NorthEast United FC at Guwahati on Saturday.
