Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: FC Goa reaffirmed their dominance at home with a well-earned 2-1 victory over 10-man Odisha FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda on Thursday night.
Brison Fernandes, who was adjudged the ISL Emerging Player of the Month in January, was once again the star of the show, opening the scoring in the first half before an own goal by Lalthathanga Khawlhring early in the second doubled Goa’s lead. Odisha pulled one back through Rahul KP, but it wasn’t enough to deny Manolo Marquez’s side, who climbed back to second place in the ISL standings with 36 points from 19 matches.
The win was a statement of intent from the Gaurs, who saw their 12-match unbeaten streak – lasting 101 days, a record for the ongoing 2024-25 season – snapped earlier this week against Jamshedpur FC. Determined to prove that setback was merely a blip, Goa stormed onto the pitch with aggression and purpose, setting the tempo from the first whistle.
Marquez made two changes to his starting XI, bringing in Sahil Tavora and Mohammad Yasir for Rowllin Borges and Ayush Chhetri. The adjustments paid immediate dividends, as the hosts seized control of possession and launched wave after wave of attack.
The first real warning sign came in the third minute when Borja Herrera, collecting a pass from Brison outside the box, unleashed a well-placed shot towards the bottom left corner. However, Odisha goalkeeper Amrinder Singh reacted sharply, diving to palm the ball away for a corner.
Yasir followed up in the ninth minute with a long-range strike that was inadvertently blocked by teammate Saviour Gama. Brison, dictating play from midfield, continued to orchestrate the attack. In the 14th minute, his incisive pass found Iker Guarrotxena, whose powerful effort was once again thwarted by Amrinder.
The Juggernauts’ first real chance arrived in the 28th minute, when Ahmed Jahouh – a familiar face at Fatorda – nearly marked his return with a goal, only for his free-kick to rattle the crossbar. That moment of danger was quickly forgotten, though, as FC Goa broke the deadlock just a minute later.
Carl McHugh, with a touch of class, threaded a delightful through-ball to Borja Herrera, who timed his pass perfectly to set up Brison Fernandes. The 23-year-old midfielder made no mistake, calmly slotting the ball into the bottom right corner to send the Fatorda faithful into raptures. It was his eighth goal of the season, further cementing his reputation as one of the league’s breakout stars this season.
Odisha had a golden opportunity to level the score in the 36th minute when the referee awarded a penalty after Diego Mauricio was brought down inside the box. The Brazilian stepped up, but Hrithik Tiwari, Goa’s young shot-stopper, produced a moment of brilliance, diving to his left to deny Mauricio and preserve the Gaurs’ lead.
Buoyed by Tiwari’s heroics, Goa continued to push forward, with Iker, Borja, and McHugh all testing Amrinder before the half-time whistle. The Odisha custodian ensured the score remained 1-0 at the break, but the visitors were in for more trouble soon after the restart.
Just two minutes into the second half, FC Goa doubled their lead. Brison, once again at the heart of the action, latched onto a loose ball inside the box after a failed clearance. His strike took a wicked deflection off Lalthathanga Khawlhring, leaving Amrinder completely wrong-footed as the ball nestled into the bottom corner. It was recorded as an own goal, but it was Brison’s intelligent positioning and quick decision-making that forced the error.
Odisha, however, refused to go down without a fight. In the 54th minute, Hugo Boumous spearheaded a swift counterattack, threading a precise ball to Rahul KP, who made no mistake in beating Tiwari to pull one back for his team.
With the game still in the balance, Goa remained composed, creating several chances to restore their two-goal cushion. Iker went close multiple times, forcing Amrinder into sharp saves. At the other end, Odisha’s sporadic attacks failed to break down Goa’s resilient defence, and their task was made even harder by an unnecessary red card for Ahmed Jahouh.
The former Gaur, making his milestone 150th ISL appearance, had a night to forget, earning an early exit for a deliberate handball that could have easily been avoided.
In the dying moments, Odisha had one last chance to snatch a point when Mourtada Fall attempted a dangerous pass into the box. However, Sandesh Jhingan was up to the test, diving to make a crucial last-ditch block to secure all three points for FC Goa.
With this win, the Gaurs reclaimed second place in the ISL standings, strengthening their bid for a semi-final spot in the ISL Cup playoffs. Now with 36 points from 19 matches, they shift their focus to a crucial away clash against Mumbai City FC next Wednesday, where they will look to further consolidate their position.
