Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: FC Goa comfortably sailed into the quarter-finals of the Kalinga Super Cup 2025 with an impressive 3-0 victory over Gokulam Kerala FC at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
The standout performer for FC Goa was Iker Guarrotxena, who netted a brilliant hat-trick to seal his team’s place in the next round. The Spanish midfielder’s clinical finishing was the highlight of an otherwise dominant display from the Gaurs.
The match kicked off with an early breakthrough for FC Goa in the 22nd minute. Dejan Drazic drove forward from the halfway line and was brought down inside the box by a Gokulam defender, earning his side a penalty. Guarrotxena stepped up and made no mistake, calmly converting the spot-kick to give FC Goa the lead.
Thirteen minutes later, FC Goa doubled their advantage. Aakash Sangwan surged forward on an overlapping run down the left and delivered a pinpoint cross into the box. Guarrotxena made a perfectly timed run to meet the cross and volleyed it past the diving Gokulam goalkeeper to make it 2-0.
The Spanish forward completed his hat-trick in the 71st minute. Jay Gupta played a sharp low cross to Udanta Singh, who unselfishly squared the ball to Guarrotxena, allowing him to slot it home from close range and complete the perfect hat-trick.
Guarrotxena’s performance was not just about his goals but also his overall contribution to FC Goa’s attacking play. With this hat-trick, he now has 23 goals in 45 appearances for the club, moving up to the third-highest goalscorer in FC Goa’s history.
At the other end, goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari and the defense, led by Odei Onaindia and Sandesh Jhingan, stood firm. Tiwari made several key saves in the dying minutes to preserve his eighth clean sheet of the season, ensuring a comfortable 3-0 victory for FC Goa.
The win ensures FC Goa’s progression into the quarter-finals, where they will face Punjab FC in what promises to be an exciting encounter on Sunday.
