Goa Khabar : FC Goa registered a well-earned 2-1 victory over Sporting Clube de Goa in the Goa Professional League at Duler Stadium on Thursday, after a commanding performance that saw them control large spells of the game.
The Gaurs struck early in the seventh minute when captain Kunal Kundaikar’s attempted clearance deflected off teammate Joel Colaco and rolled into the net, giving FC Goa a fortunate lead. Sporting, however, responded quickly and found the equaliser five minutes later. Naocha Singh delivered a well-weighted cross from the right that Mark Carvalho calmly finished from close range, restoring parity and briefly swinging the momentum their way.
From that point on, FC Goa began to assert themselves in midfield, dictating possession and tempo. The young side moved the ball fluidly, stretching Sporting’s defence with sharp passing and width on both flanks. Sporting did well to hold their shape, with goalkeeper Abhimanyu Singh pulling off a couple of crucial saves to keep his team in the contest.
The breakthrough for FC Goa came in the 62nd minute when defender Sitroy Carvalho ventured forward for a corner and reacted fastest inside the crowded box to slot home from close range, restoring their advantage.
Sporting pushed late in search of an equaliser, with Naocha Singh’s header narrowly missing the target in the closing stages. However, FC Goa’s backline stood firm under pressure to see out the result.
It was a disciplined and composed performance from FC Goa, who looked the sharper side on the night, while Sporting showed fight and flashes of creativity but were ultimately undone by missed chances and a resilient opposition.
