Valiant FC Goa Go Down Fighting in their Opening AFC Champions League Two Match against Al Zawraa SC

Image Credit: X (FC Goa)

FC Goa began their AFC Champions League Two campaign at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao, Goa, on Wednesday against Al Zawraa SC of Iraq. FC Goa were missing their star defender, Sandesh Jhingan, who suffered an injury on international duty against Iran. As a result, Nim Dorjee started alongside Spanish centre back Pol Moreno. When in possession, FC Goa looked like a secure 4-2-3-1, with Timor anchoring the double pivot. It was Al Zawraa, however, who were out of the blocks quickest, playing direct balls behind FC Goa’s defence. In an ambitious attempt, Mohammed Qasim Majid tried to chip goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari, which brushed the roof of the net. Al Zawraa then caught a sloppy FC Goa giveaway, and Mahdi Al-Humaidan set it up on a plate for Mohammed Qasim Majid, who rattled the crossbar but couldn’t find the back of the net. FC Goa, on the other hand, targeted set pieces, when Iker Guarrotxena and Javier Siverio combined from a corner, Siverio’s header was wide off target. Borja Herrera took the free kicks, but whether it was a training ground routine or a direct shot, the result was the same, Borja found the wall more often than the goal. Al Zawraa’s defenders gave no space for FC Goa’s midfield to operate, creating midfield overloads whenever FC Goa started a move. Meanwhile, Al Zawraa were themselves forced to play from the wings, but FC Goa’s full backs and wingers ensured most crosses were poorly hit. After much fighting for the ball, Al Zawraa opened the scoring on the cusp of half time, Reziq Bani Hani pounced on an uncleared ball, and although it wasn’t the cleanest of strikes, it was enough to give Al Zawraa the lead going into the break.

FC Goa started the second half with renewed urgency, bringing on Ayush Chhetri for Iker Guarrotxena to inject more pace in the final third. FC Goa got the first chance of the second half when Boris Singh’s cross from the right flank found Udanta Singh, but his header sailed past the post. Udanta was in action again in the 54', delivering a beautiful ball into the box for substitute Ayush Chhetri, which forced a save from the experienced goalkeeper Jalal Hassan. FC Goa head coach Manolo Márquez then introduced local boy Brison Fernandes for Udanta Singh, and the move paid off as Brison caused all sorts of problems for Al Zawraa’s defence. FC Goa began to find more gaps as the game progressed, maintaining possession of the ball. Despite this surge, Al Zawraa remained disciplined and looked to hit on the counter whenever an opportunity presented itself. In the 71', FC Goa earned a free kick in a dangerous area, but Borja Herrera’s bad night with set pieces continued as his attempt was wayward and off target. Márquez’s last trump card was the introduction of Abdul Rabeeh and Sahil Tavora for Nim Dorjee and Boris Singh respectively, allowing his side to switch to a more attacking shape. FC Goa immediately shifted to an attacking 4-1-4-1, trying to create something from the heart of midfield, but Al Zawraa’s compact defensive structure continued to frustrate Manolo Márquez and his men. Al Zawraa’s patience paid dividends as they managed to hit a perfect counter attack in stoppage time, with FC Goa’s men high up the pitch, Nizar Al-Rashdan found the back of the net himself when his teammates probably expected a pass, deceiving goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari, who conceded at his near post. Al Zawraa nearly got their third goal when Ibrahim Gbadamosi took a shot from inside the penalty box that struck Tiwari’s hand and the post before going for a corner. After the corner, Al Zawraa players were happy enough to waste time by delaying the corner and playing passes among themselves before the final whistle.

Despite creating many opportunities and controlling possession for the better part of the game, FC Goa could not get the goals they sought. Al Zawraa, on the other hand, sat back and waited for their moments, and they executed their tactics to perfection, with both goals coming from well executed counter attacks. FC Goa’s next match will be a trip to Tajikistan, where they will face FC Istiklol on 1 October.