The Gaurs registered a 5-0 win over Jamshedpur to become the first Indian side to qualify for the AFC Champions League Group Stage…
FC Goa created history by becoming the first Indian side to qualify for the AFC Champions League Group Stage by finishing atop the Indian Super League (ISL) table with an incredible 5-0 win over Jamshedpur FC. The league stage winners also became the first side to win the ISL League Winners Shield.
Ferran Corominas’ (11’), Hugo Boumous (70′, 90′), Jackichand Singh (84′) and Mourtada Fall (87′) scored to provide the Gaurs with an unassailable six-point lead at the top of the table.
It was Jamshedpur who enjoyed the positive moments in the opening minutes and it would be fair to suggest that the opening goal arrived against the run of play. Mobashir Rahman attempted a volley off Aitor Monroy’s delivery from the corner, missed it completely and hence set up Hugo Boumous on the counter. The Frenchman spotted Corominas’ run through the centre and played a weighted pass in the Spaniard’s path. Corominas made no mistakes upon entering the box and slotted it past Mohammad Rafique to round up a perfect counter-attacking goal.
Jamshedpur reacted well to going down by pushing men forward in search of the equaliser. Goa, on the other hand, slowed down the tempo and let the hosts have the ball as long as they were unable to beat their deep block.
David Grande and Farukh Choudhary were at the end of easy chances during long spells of Jamshedpur domination. But they were unable to make the best of Sumeet Passi’s dangerous deliveries into the box and the score stayed 1-0 until the break.
The Goa that turned up in the second half was a fresh change from the one that finished the first. The Gaurs stepped on the gas after sitting back for most parts of the game and the result of this is reflected perfectly on the score-sheet.
Boumous added doubled Goa’s advantage with an incredible finish after exchanging passes with Seminlen Doungel. The Frenchman danced through the centre of the pitch before laying Len off for a shot. The winger hesitated, took it to the touchline and cut it back for Boumous to smash it on the volley and make it 2-0.
14 minutes later, the 24-year-old set up Jackichand with a brilliantly weighted ball down the centre of the pitch. The winger latched on to it and produced a stunning finish to lob it over the Jamshedpur custodian.
The floodgates never seemed to shut with Fall getting his name on the score-sheet with a header off Edu Bedia’s cross following a well-orchestrated team move in the 84th minute.
Boumous then returned to produce the fifth of the night with some dazzling bit of skill to get past Memo on the touchline before slotting it home from a tight angle.
Goa thus registered yet another massive win to finish on top of the ISL table and qualify for the AFC Champions League.
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