Goa Pro League: FC Goa deny Geno FC first victory with last-gasp equaliser

Castanha scored the equaliser in the 90th minute

FC Goa managed to snatch a last-gasp 1-1 draw against Geno FC, denying them their first win in the GFA Goa Professional League at Dulet Stadium, Mapusa.

Leewan Castanha netted the equaliser in the 90th minute cancelling Abelson Jachi’s 75th minute goal.

The match began with Geno FC's Aryan Chauhan taking the initiative with the first shot on goal. Unfortunately for them, his long-range effort took a deflection off an FC Goa player, making it an easy collection for the goalkeeper.

In the opening quarter of the game, FC Goa had a trio of attempts on goal, with Malsawmtluanga, Velington Fernandes, and Lemmet Tanghavi all missing the target. FC Goa's best chance in the first half came when Ameen showcased some dazzling footwork on the right flank, eluding his markers and delivering a cross. However, Malsawmtluanga failed to connect with his header, squandering a golden opportunity.

The second half saw FC Goa continuing their efforts to break the deadlock. This time, Malsawmtluanga delivered a brilliant ball to Ameen, who controlled it adeptly and maneuvered past his marker. Unfortunately, Ameen's final shot was off target, leaving FC Goa frustrated.

In the 75th minute, Geno FC finally broke the stalemate. Aryan Chauhan played a crucial role, passing the ball to Prajay Naik, who managed to get past an FC Goa defender and attempted a shot. Although the goalkeeper blocked the initial effort, the ball fell kindly to Abelson Jachi, who made no mistake in slotting it into the back of the net, giving Geno FC a vital lead.

However, FC Goa showed their resilience and determination in the dying moments of the match. In the 90th minute, Akash Oraow found himself in the box, and Leewan Castanha displayed incredible composure, volleying the ball home from inside the box to level the score at 1-1.

Geno FC had a final chance to snatch victory when Abelson Jachi took a curling free-kick that narrowly missed the target. His outstanding performance earned him the well-deserved Player of the Match award.