Ratings: Dheeraj stays strong but FC Goa falter against Persepolis

The game marked the Gaurs' first ever goal as well as defeat in the AFC Champions League.

Despite an extremely superior opposition, FC Goa fought tooth and nail against Persepolis FC as they went down 2-1 on Tuesday night. However, it was the Gaurs who took the lead initially with a well-placed header from Edu Bedia. However, Persepolis were allowed to come back into the game after an ill-timed foul from James Donachie provided them with a penalty in the first half.

After the equalizer, Persepolis center-back Jalal Hosseini scored the winner with a towering header. The Iranian giants continued to threaten, but failed to increase their lead as the game finished 2-1. Here is how the FC Goa players performed against Persepolis in the AFC Champions League on Tuesday night.

Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem – 7.5

Despite being shaky initially, Dheeraj Singh grew into the game against the Iranian giants. The youngster saved a penalty, which kept FC Goa in the game against Persepolis. He made five saves and the scoreline could have been very different if it wasn't for him.

James Donachie – 5.0

His foul gave Persepolis the chance to get back into the game right after conceding the opener. Looked out of his depth while dealing with Shahriar Moghanlou. The defender made two clearances, but will need to work on his aerial ability, winning only 25% of his aerial duels.

Ivan Gonzalez – 5.0

Committed the foul that led to the second penalty. Looked outpaced and was unable to exert control like his usual self. The FC Goa defender registered two clearances, two tackles and one interception against Persepolis.

Seriton Fernandes – 6.0

Seriton was promising at times, especially on the offensive front. Tried playing a safe defensive line, but failed to deal with the pace from Vahid Amiri, who was having a free run on Goa's right side.

Got a yellow card for a goal-saving foul early in the first half. Should have reacted quicker to deal with Mehdi Torabi's cross that eventually led to the second goal for Persepolis.

Sanson Pereira – 5.5

While Seriton stayed solid most of the time, Sanson on the other hand, looked outworked. The FC Goa youngster was dribbled past four times by the Persepolis players and only managed to win 50% of his ground duels, which is concerning considering he adopted a defensive approach. His lack of influence on the offensive front is a recurring theme, which Ferrando needs to address in the upcoming matches.

Adil Khan – 3.5

Had a horrific debut in the AFC Champions League. He looked very shaky in front of the defence. He lost the ball twice in compromising situations. The veteran was replaced in the first half itself.

Edu Bedia – 7.0

Scored FC Goa’s first-ever goal in the AFC Champions League with a header. However, Bedia failed to control the game for his team. He was outmatched by the Persepolis midfield. 

He registered 67 touches, but only managed 12 successful passes in the entire game. The Spaniard picked up a yellow card on Tuesday night, which will force him out of the upcoming game. Was substituted by Redeem Tlang after an injury.

Glan Martins – 5.5

Glan looked underutilized for the duration of his time on the pitch. The inclusion of Adil Khan looked to have hampered his ability to deal with opposition players in half spaces, which he did well in the previous two games. He had no interceptions or tackles during his 58-minute stint and was replaced by Princeton Rebello.

Brandon Fernandes – 6.0

His performance was one of the few positives that FC Goa could take from the game. Despite being outmatched on the technical and physical side, Brandon showed flashes of brilliance, especially with set-piece delivery.

His assist for Bedia was on point and his passing, despite the high Persepolis pressure, was commendable. He was replaced during the second half.

Saviour Gama – 5.5

Not a memorable start from the full-back turned winger. Gama was introduced to provide more defensive depth on the left side. His influence was pretty minuscule, only registering eight touches and four passes in the first, before being replaced by Devendra Murgaonkar.

Jorge Ortiz – 5.0

Looked uncomfortable playing as the lone striker, as his height disadvantage prevented him from collecting long balls. Was more influential once he dropped into the middle after Edu Bedia was forced off with an injury. He had a splendid 89% passing accuracy and also won 50% of his ground duels. His lack of shots despite playing upfront is a point of concern though.

Substitutes

Princeton Rebello – N/A

Looked a more apt fit in the middle than Adil Khan. However, he gave away the ball cheaply a few times.

Ishan Pandita – N/A

Registered just three touches in his 30+ minutes on the pitch.

Redeem Tlang – N/A

His shot in the second half was the only talking point for the Gaurs in that period. Showed promise during certain moments with his pace and dribbling skills.

Devendra Muragonkar – 4.5

Failed to land any significant influence on the game despite coming on at the turn of the half.

Amarjit Singh Kiyam – 6.0  

Despite playing more than 60 minutes, Amarjit failed to make any changes to the flow of the game. He limited the mistakes in the middle and maintained a passing accuracy of 77%, despite the high pressure from the Iranian side.

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