FC Goa successfully defended their Bhausaheb Bandodkar Memorial Trophy title in a dramatic final against Odisha FC, emerging victorious 3-1 on penalties after a pulsating 3-3 draw in regulation time.
The match, held at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda – also the home of FC Goa’s Indian Super League (ISL) fixtures – saw the Gaurs come from behind twice to force the game into a shootout, where goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani starred with two crucial saves.
With Head Coach Manolo Marquez absent due to his commitments with the Indian senior men’s national football team, Assistant Coach Gouramangi Singh took charge. Singh made one change from the semi-final against CSD Defensa y Justicia, with Ayush Chhetri replacing Carl McHugh in the starting lineup.
A match of twists and turns
The action began quickly, with Goa carving out the first big chance in the 6th minute. A well-orchestrated move saw Brison Fernandes release Borja Herrera in midfield, who then found Armando Sadiku in space inside the box. Sadiku’s shot, however, lacked precision, flying over the crossbar.
Odisha FC drew first blood in the 18th minute when they won a free-kick just outside the box. Ahmed Jahouh delivered a clever pass to Hugo Boumous, who managed to escape his markers and rifle the ball into the top left corner of the net, giving his team an early lead.
Undeterred, the Gaurs pressed on and were rewarded in the 34th minute. Brison once again played a key role, intercepting a pass in midfield and feeding Borja who threaded a perfectly timed ball to Sadiku. The Albanian striker made no mistake this time, calmly slotting the ball into the far bottom corner, bringing Goa level and maintaining his record of scoring in every match of the tournament.
Just seven minutes later, the Men in Orange took the lead. Borja was again involved, picking out Sadiku in space, who laid it off for Dejan Dražić on the wing. Dražić weaved past two defenders before unleashing a low-driven shot from the edge of the box that found the back of the net.
The Gaurs entered halftime with a 2-1 lead, but the game was far from over.
Odisha strike back, Goa fight till the end.
Odisha FC equalised almost immediately after the restart. A foul inside the box led to a penalty, and while FC Goa goalkeeper Kattimani guessed the direction correctly, Jahouh’s spot-kick had enough power to beat him.
In the 54th minute, the visitors seized the lead once more. Boumous turned provider, setting up Rahim Ali, who capitalised on confusion among the hosts’ defenders to fire past Kattimani.
FC Goa came close to leveling in the 68th minute when Borja latched onto a pass from Nim Dorjee and unleashed a fierce volley from 30 yards out, only for the ball to crash against the crossbar.
Gouramangi’s boys kept pushing and thought they had equalised in the 86th minute when Borja struck from close range amid confusion inside Odisha’s box. However, despite appeals and replays suggesting the ball had crossed the line, the goal was not given, leading to frustration among the Goa camp.
Just two minutes later though, they found their deserved equaliser. Sadiku, once again proving his class, sent opposition goalkeeper Anuj Kumar the wrong way from the spot, netting his sixth goal of the tournament in five matches and making it 3-3.
Penalties and Kattimani’s heroics seal the title
With the match level after 90 minutes, the final was decided by a penalty shootout. Odisha FC’s Diego Mauricio converted the first penalty, but Sadiku coolly responded. Kattimani then saved Jahouh’s attempt, giving Goa an advantage. Borja Herrera calmly slotted his spot-kick to put the Gaurs ahead.
Odisha’s woes continued as Hugo Boumous missed their third penalty, and when Dejan Dražić buried his effort, the pressure was firmly on Odisha’s Carlos Delgado. Kattimani stepped up once again, diving to save Delgado’s attempt and sparking celebrations as FC Goa claimed a 3-1 victory in the shootout.
The victory saw FC Goa defend their Bhausaheb Bandodkar Memorial Trophy, with this triumph following the Club’s Development Team winning the same title at the end of the 2023-24 season. The Gaurs showed immense character, coming from behind twice in normal time before holding their nerve in the penalty shootout, and will now shift their focus firmly on to the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season that starts exactly a week later
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