FC Goa held Mohammedan SC to a 1-1 draw in the Indian Super League 2024-25 at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Saturday.
Armando Sadiku scored late to cancel out Alexis Gomez’s strike from the penalty spot.
The visitors started the game brightly as Boris Singh got a shot saved by Padam Chhetri inside the first five minutes.
Carlos Franca, who had showcased his abilities after coming late last game, got into the starting line-up and was a livewire for Mohammedan. Running the channels, standing up to the defenders for long balls and taking sharp snapshots.
Come the 14th minute, the Brazilian forward received a ball from Alexis Gomez on the left and turned Odei Onaindia with relative ease. A shot followed which was parried by Laxmikanth Kattimani.
At the other end, Armando Sadiku was finding it hard to get real chances in front of goal. Brison Fernandes’s cross from left was just a bit too high as the Albanian’s header sailed over the crossbar.
Franca rattled the crossbar from a difficult angle in the 25th minute after being fed by Lalremsanga Fanai. The FC Goa keeper barely managed to get a telling touch from the right corner.
Three minutes later, Kattimani was called into action yet again to stop Franca yet again.
After the water break at around the 30-minute mark, the tackles started flowing as Nim Dorjee and Dejan Drazic went into the referee’s book.
In the 44th minute, Kasimov after one of meandering runs around the pitch and found the ball at his feet in the attacking third as his shot was saved by Kattimani.
When the referee blew his half-time whistle, Manolo Marquez was happy to get his player back in the dressing room. Something had to be done.
He did as he made three changes when play resumed for the second half.
Mohammedan though still remained dominant in their search for an opener. In the 49th minute, it was Franca yet again who was the main troublemaker. A lucky bounce off Amarjit Singh Kiyam as well own knee was somehow saved by Kattimani.
Franca then failed to hit the target from mere inches from goal as a pinpoint Makan Chothe off the left was touched wide in the 52nd minute.
In the 64th, Franca evaded Odei with a magical turn and was brought down inside the penalty box. The referee promptly blew for a penalty. After some though, the Brazilian handed the ball over to Alexis, an Argentine. He stepped up and slotted the ball past Kattimani for the first goal for Mohammedan in the ISL.
Substitute Bikash Singh made a flash run down the left in the 68th minute only to drag his shot wide. Barely a minute later, Bikash found Lalremsanga but the latter’s shot was over the bar.
Franca was not done as he got two back-to-back chances to finally get his name on the scoresheet – A deflection in the 72nd and save off a header from point-blank range in the 73rd.
FC Goa were rocked by the newly promoted side dominating possession and almost most of the attacks. Manolo too seemed desperate.
Sadiku, who had cut a lone figure, sprung into life in added minute after 90. A hung-up ball from substitute Aakash Sangwan was thudded into the net by the Albanian to break Mohammedan hearts.
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