ISL: FC Goa move up to third place, overcoming Punjab FC in yet another Fatorda thriller

FC Goa (FCG) emerged victorious in a thrilling contest against Punjab FC (PFC) in the Indian Super League (ISL), clinching a 2-1 win at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda on Wednesday. Goals from Armando Sadiku and Iker Guarrotxena secured all three points for the Gaurs (FCG) in front of their home fans, who witnessed an intense battle full of action and close calls.

Punjab FC started the game with confidence, nearly capitalizing on an early opportunity in the 5th minute. FC Goa's Boris Singh misjudged a clearance inside his box, allowing Pulga Vidal a sight at goal, but his shot narrowly missed the far post but the visitors maintained the pressure, and in the 13th minute, they broke the deadlock.

Nihal Sudheesh charged down the left flank, outpacing his marker before delivering a low cross into the box. Luka Majcen skillfully let the ball run past him, creating space for Asmir Suljic, who drilled his shot into the near post, putting his team ahead.

The home side, however, did not take long to respond. In the 22nd minute, a well-coordinated move saw Ayush Chhetri square the ball to Sahil Tavora, who advanced it to Iker Guarrotxena. The Spaniard picked out Sadiku's run, threading a precise pass through the defence. The Albanian forward latched onto the ball and fired past the goalkeeper into the far corner, levelling the score at 1-1. The goal marked Sadiku's eighth of the season and continued his scoring streak in the league, having found the net in each of his seven appearances thus far.

Manolo Marquez's boys then continued to press for a second goal. In the 37th minute, Sadiku connected with a corner from Aakash Sangwan, but his header went wide. Moments later, Ayush attempted a long-range shot, though it posed little threat to Punjab FC's goalkeeper, Ravi Kumar. Just before halftime, Goa's young keeper Hrithik Tiwari pulled off a critical save, diving to deny Luka Majcen and keep the scores level.

The second half began with FC Goa on the front foot. In the 49th minute, Iker Guarrotxena put the home side in the lead. Picking up a pass in the opponent's defensive third, he moved forward and released the ball to Dejan Drazic on the left. Drazic evaded his marker with skillful dribbling, and although his shot was initially saved, the rebound fell kindly for Iker, who acrobatically fired it home. The goal marked Iker's first of the season and brought the crowd to its feet.

As the match progressed further, the Men in Orange looked keen to extend their lead, with both Mohammad Yasir and Sahil Tavora trying their luck from range in the 61st and 62nd minutes, only to be thwarted by Ravi Kumar's saves. In the 66th minute, Iker nearly doubled his tally with a powerful strike that beat the goalkeeper but ricocheted off the post.

Substitute Brison Fernandes added fresh energy and came close in the 72nd minute with a shot from outside the box, and later in the 82nd, he maneuvered past a defender and sent in a dangerous low cross, but Punjab's defense held firm.

In the final minutes, the visitors pushed hard for an equalizer. Tekcham Abhishek Singh's shot from long range barely missed, and in added time, Mushaga Bakenga's sharp strike seemed destined for goal, only for Sandesh Jhingan to produce a heroic diving block to seal the win for FC Goa.

With this victory, which is their third of the league season and second at home, FC Goa climb to third in the ISL standings with 12 points from eight matches. The Gaurs will resume their campaign after the international break with an away fixture against Kerala Blasters in Kochi on November 28. (ANI)