FC Goa registered a much-needed win to move their campaign ahead, and defeated Bengaluru on Saturday night in a frantic clash between both sides, which saw two players get sent off among the 22. This defeat keeps Bengaluru second-bottom on the table, with much concern to their manager and players.
Ortiz Mendoza, who eventually got sent off for FC Goa, showed great promise in the early parts of the game, making some stellar runs into the box. On two separate occasions from the right flank inside the first 10 minutes, he went past the defenders with his pace, but his cross didn’t find another orange jersey in front of the goal.
Having been the most vocal footballer on the pitch for the first 15 minutes, it was quite fitting that he was heavily involved in the first goal. Devendra Murgaokar made a searing run down the left flank and cut inside to take a shot, only to see his effort take a rebound. It seemed like Ortiz got the final touch, but it was the defender Ashique Kuruniyan who couldn’t clear the ball properly and ended up parrying it into his own goal.
Bengaluru upped the ante after going down in the game but lacked the clinical touch until they received a free-kick in the final minute of the first half. Cleiton Silva got a free-kick near the corner post, and he curled it in beautifully from over 40 yards, which was too good for the keeper to save.
Prince Obara came on in the second half and orchestrated a couple of fantastic attacks for Bengaluru. Adding more salt to Goa’s misery, Mendoza was involved in an ugly dash-up, and his violent conduct got him a red. Bengaluru took full advantage of the red, and Obara had a great chance saved by Dheeraj Singh.
However, against the run of play and courtesy of some reckless defending from Bengaluru, FC Goa took the lead with just over 20 minutes remaining. Aibanbha Dohling put a long cross into the box, which was headed sideways by Ivan Gonzalez, where Devendra Murgaokar was left totally unmarked in front of the 6-yard box. He took a touch and finished it past Gurpreet, giving his side a smile out of nowhere.
Bengaluru kept attacking until the very end, but they too were reduced to 10 men after Suresh Wangjam, the man involved in Ortiz’s red card, was sent off for his second bookable offense on the night. Goa managed to see the game through, and they registered their second win of the season to take them 7th on the points table.
