Ratings: Carl McHugh shines as FC Goa march into Durand Cup semis

FC Goa will meet the winners of the Mumbai City vs Mohun Bagan game in the Durand Cup semi-final.

FC Goa have defeated Chennaiyin FC in an incredible game of football, to book their spot in the semi-final of the 2023 Durand Cup. A brilliant comeback from 1-0 down to 4-1 up, saw the Gaurs get one step closer to reclaiming the Durand Cup title. 

Here are the ratings from the game.

FC Goa (By Sonal Fernandes)

Dheeraj Singh – 7

Should have been more commanding in the six-yard box for Chennaiyin FC’s goal. Recovered well from there. Made some important saves in the second half.

Seriton Fernandes – 6

Could have done better regarding marking Bikash Yumnam for Chennaiyin’s goal. Grew into the match and was reliable in defence and a good option in possession.

Odei Onaindia – 7

Formed a really good partnership with Sandesh Jhingan. Did well against Jordan Murray and Connor Sheilds.

Sandesh Jhingan – 8

Solid in defence, Jhingan really commanded the backline and dominated the opposition attack. Got in the way of most crosses from the flanks.

Saivour Gama – 6

Solid defensively, and composed in possession. Combined well with Noah Sadaoui on the left wing.

Raynier Fernandes – 7

Played well in midfield. Controlled the tempo well with Carl Mchugh. Provided a good cover to the defence.

Carl Mchugh – 9

Brilliant in midfield. Combined well with Raynier and Brandon to dominate the opposition. Scored FC Goa’s opening goal which set the team onto the path of an impressive victory. Provided a very good assist to Noah late in the second half for his side’s third goal.

Brandon Fernandes – 8

Brandon was the creative force of the FC Goa offence. Combined well with Udanta Singh, Noah Sadaoui and Carlos Martinez. Rarely lost the ball. Most of his passes found their target. Led the side with a lot of commitment and passion.

Noah Sadaoui – 9

The best player on the field. Was a source of constant threat for the Chennayin defence, be it providing crosses from wide or operating as an inside forward. Provided the assist for the first goal and got an important goal in the 91st minute to put the match beyond Chennaiyin FC’s reach.

Udanta Singh – 7

Udanta registered some good wingplay, specially in the first half, providing the FC Goa attack with width and pace.

Carlos Martinez – 8

Missed an early chance but put that in the past by scoring a brilliant goal to give FC Goa the lead. Combined well with his teammates in the first half.

Substitutes

Rowllin Borges – 6

Good defensive actions. Provided FC Goa defensive with a good defensive screen after coming on.

Jay Gupta – 6

Came on in the second half and was assured at left-back replacing Saviour.

Victor Ridriguez – 7

Replaced Carlos Martinez. Apart from a few good touches, Victor also scored an impressive goal to make the score 4-1.

Boris Singh – 6

Like for like replacement for Udanta Singh. Provided the assist for the fourth goal.

Leander D Cunha – N/A

Came on with the score still 2-1 and was solid with no mistakes.

Chennaiyin FC (By Keshava Verma)

Samik Mitra – 6

Samik made a few half-decent saves, and was up to the task at the back. The keeper however, conceded four goals.

Sachu Siby – 5.5

The defender struggled in the first half against Noah Sadaoui, and was constantly exploited by the Moroccan. He was subbed off in the beginning of the second half.

Bikash Yumnam – 7

Bikash scored the opener of the game, when he headed a looping cross early into the net. Other than that, the centre-back had a tough night against FC Goa’s attack.

Aakash Sangwan – 6.5

Aakash was firm in the defence, and did his best to hold back Goa’s attack. The defender however, was poor in the final few minutes, and conceded twice. 

Sarthak Golui – 6.5

Despite making a strong start to the game, Sarthak’s performance deteriorated with the passage of the game. He made a few cheap mistakes as well.

Cristian Battocchio – 6.5

Cristian made his debut tonight, and put in a decent shift, as he threaded through some decent balls. But he was visibly struggling to acclimatise to the heat and humidity. 

Ayush Adhikari – 7

Ayush did well in the midfield, and was one of the best players for the Marina Machans tonight. His passing was on point, and his work ethic was also incredible. 

Connor Shields – 6

Englishman Connor also failed to create an impact on the game, and had a disappointing outing up front. 

Rahim Ali – 6.5

Rahim had a pretty quiet night, as he failed to create any positive impact around the goal. The player was however, precise with his passing. 

Jordan Murray – 6.5

Despite creating some great opportunities, Murray lacked quality up front. He was missing his clinical touch tonight. 

Farukh Choudhary – 7

Farukh had a good game, and put in a decent work-rate. The player was lively in the wings, and created a number of chances for Chennaiyin FC.

Substitutes

Jiteshwor Singh – 7

Played some quality balls into the box, and also dominated the midfield with some great movement and passing. His tracking back was however, not very great.

Alexander Romario – 6.5

Romario did well to help the defence after coming on. He was up to the task of keeping Noah at bay. 

Irfan Yadwad – 6

Irfan couldn’t make any real impact up front after coming on for the final 10 minutes of the game.

Vincy Barretto – 7

Vincy used his pace to create a few chances. He was dangerous in the wings.

Ajith Kumar – 6.5

Ajith did incredibly well to keep Noah quiet (on most occasions) after the lemon break. He provided a lot more stability to the backline for the majority of the second half.

Picture Courtesy: FC Goa Media Team

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