PANJIM:
FC Goa got back to winning ways in a high octane seven goal thriller against Bengaluru FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on 30th November 2017. Striker Ferran Corominas (Coro) became the first player to score a hat-trick in this season of the Hero Indian Super League. He opened the scoring in the 16th minute before Venzuelan striker Miku brought the Blues back into the contest moments later.
Coro found the net once more midway through the first half after Bruno Pinheiro’s knock down. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was sent off for violent conduct towards the end of the first half and FC Goa were awarded a penalty as a result. Lanzarote stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way. The Blues came back strongly in the second period, scoring two quick goals through Erik Paartalu and Miku but Coro’s tenacity helped him find the winner moments after the visitors equalized.
It was a cagey beginning for the home side as the Blues looked to assert pressure from the get-go. Bengaluru midfielder Lenny Rodrigues was presented with the first chance of the match after a scramble in the Goa box saw the ball land at his feet. His shot however, flew just wide of the post.
Next, it was the Gaurs’ turn to threaten the Bengaluru goal as Lanzarote released Coro with a superb long ball. The striker took the ball down and darted into the box before laying it on for Mandar Rao Dessai who couldn’t wrap his right foot around the ball and get it away. The away side should have had the lead in the 13th minute after a free-kick from the left was glanced goalwards by Erik Paartalu. Laxmikant Kattimani however, got down well to make the stop. FC Goa began to look more comfortable on the ball as the half progressed.
It didn’t take long for the game to burst into life with the Gaurs taking the lead in the 16th minute. Edu Bedia found Coro with a superb cross field ball, the striker trapped the ball and charged at the defence, beating three defenders and placing the ball towards the far post, away from Gurpreet Singh’s reach.
Roca’s men however, hit back almost immediately when Paartalu found the run of Miku with a cheeky ball over the defence. The Venezuelan international ran at Kattimani and finished through the keeper’s legs to silence the home fans. The Blues were in the ascendency after the goal as the Gaurs looked a little rattled.
They could have had a couple more goals to put Goa to the sword but were unable to capitalize. The Gaurs however, did capitalize on their chances. Lanzarote swung in a superbly worked free-kick from just inside the Bengaluru half on to the head of Bruno Pinheiro who knocked it down for Coro. The Spaniard wasted no time netting his second to send Fatorda into delirium.
It didn’t take long for the Gaurs to double their lead after a needless red card for Gurpreet. Lanzarote chased a loose ball into the Bengaluru box and the coming together with Gurpreet was not well received by the Indian national goalkeeper who reacted violently by pushing Lanzarote away.
The referee promptly pulled out a red card and sent the keeper on his way, giving the Gaurs a penalty in the process. Lanzarote stepped up and sent substitute keeper Abhra Mondal the wrong way. Thereafter, FC Goa kept control of the ball and moved it around with ease as they looked for a fourth goal.
The Blues came out roaring in the second half as they pressed the home side’s defence in a bid to get a goal back. As Bengaluru looked to regain control of the contest, FC Goa countered and had the ball in the net through Brandon Fernandes.
Once again however, the linesman flagged incorrectly for offside. In the 56th minute, a poor clearance from Kattimani presented Bengaluru skipper Sunil Chhetri with a chance to score. His curling effort was expertly tipped away by a diving Kattimani.
The Gaurs weren’t very lucky with the corner as Paartalu who headed home his third goal of the campaign. Four minutes later, ten men Bengaluru were level. Miku picked up the ball outside the Goa box and ghosted past a couple of defenders before tapping the ball past a hapless Kattimani.
The Gaurs however, roared back into the contest in some style three minutes later. Lanzarote picked out Coro once more with an incisive through ball which the Spaniard ran on to, rounded Mondal and tapped into an empty net to create history once more by becoming the first player to score a hat-trick in the current ISL season.
Sergio Lobera made his first change in the 66th minute, bringing on Pronay Halder for Narayan Das as Mandar moved to left back. The Gaurs continued to apply pressure as Bengaluru did well to stay in the contest. Manvir Singh was brought on for Brandon minutes later while Lanzarote was withdrawn for Manuel Arana.
As the game headed for a finish, nerves seemed to get to the Gaurs as Bengaluru controlled the game in the hope of finding an equalizer. Manuel Arana had the chance to put the finishing touches on the game in the first minute of stoppage time after Edu sent him through, but a heavy first touch denied him the goal as Mondal came out to stop.
The keeper however, handled the ball outside the box and the Gaurs were presented with a free-kick in a good position. Arana stepped up and smashed an effort off the crossbar much to the Gaurs’ dismay. With time running out quickly, Bengaluru were unable to get back into the contest as FC Goa picked up their first home win of the season.
The Gaurs will take on Kerala Blasters FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda on 9th November 2017 in what promises to be an exciting contest.
