FC Goa hammer five past NorthEast United

By Praveen R Paramasivam
MARGAO: FC Goa rediscovered their

goal-scoring ways

with a comfortable 5-1 rout of NorthEast United FC in an entertaining Indian Super League (ISL) clash at the

Nehru Stadium

in Fatorda on Friday.


After a testing period that saw them claim just a point from three outings, with losses against Bengaluru FC and FC Pune City, Sergio Lobera’s men secured what will be a morale-boosting result heading into the third and final international break.

Goa have now exchanged places with NorthEast in the standings. While Goa have 20 points from 11 matches, the same as NorthEast United, they are placed third due to a better goal-difference.

Goa coach Sergio Lobera was forced into a change to the starting lineup due to the suspension of talismanic midfielder Ahmed Jahouh. Spanish leftback Carlos Pena was handed a central defensive role, alongside Mourtada Fall.

Any doubts regarding the change vanished in the opening minutes with the centre-back pairing leaving little or no room for NorthEast’s star striker, Bartholomew Ogbeche, to operate.

Despite their resolute defending at the back and NorthEast’s continuous unsuccessful attempts at hoofing the ball up for their Nigerian forward to finish, Goa hardly threatened the rival citadel. Jackichand Singh, Ferran Corominas, Mourtada Fall and Brandon Fernandes all missed from point-blank range at the start, while Hugo Boumous had a goal ruled out for offside.

In the second half, Goa picked up where they had left, shutting the doors on NorthEast, giving them little time to breathe. Unlike in the first half, though, Goa’s attackers did put on their goal-scoring boots for the last 45 minutes.

Coro opened the scoring in the 59th minute after exchanging passes with national team probable Jackichand Singh, ending Goa’s dry spell of 281 minutes.

NorthEast were stunned with the setback and could not force their way back. Goa, however, continued to hunt for the insurance goal. Ten minutes later, Edu Bedia, who produced a heroic performance through the middle that often left NorthEast’s midfield duo of Jose Leudo and Rowlin Borges ball-watching, doubled the lead with a sublime lob past the onrushing NorthEast goalkeeper Pawan Kumar.

Before NorthEast could regroup, Goa put one more into the net, this time through Moroccan midfielder Hugo Boumous, who tapped in Brandon’s cross coolly. Six minutes from time, Coro doubled his tally, matching Iain Hume’s all-time best of 28 goals.

Ogbeche scored a consolation for NorthEast in the 90th minute, but Goa managed to pile more misery on the Highlanders through substitute Miguel Palanca three minutes into added time.