FC Goa vs Regar-TadAZ player ratings: Chiki delivers, Full-backs show class in AFC Challenge League

Regar-TadAZ came back 1-2 after being 1-0 down to FC Goa.

Chiki’s early strike had FC Goa dreaming of a debut to remember. Two Faridun Davlatov goals turned it into a night they’ll want to forget. The AFC Challenge League Group C opener saw it all, drama, tackles, fights and even a late comeback.

Debut nights are supposed to be about nerves, noise and a first line in the record books. FC Goa got all of that at the Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium in Hawally, plus a stream that stuttered into life and a goal in the 8th minute that sent the Gaurs into uncharted territory.

Then came the sting. Against Regar-TadAZ, the competition’s most decorated side with three titles from the President’s Cup era, Goa controlled the tempo and the scoreline until the 85th minute, when it all came apart. A 2-1 defeat, with the winner arriving at 90′, is a brutal way to open a continental campaign.

Goa needed only eight minutes to write their first line in AFC Challenge League history. Chiki’s finish put them ahead, and from there Gouramangi Singh’s side settled into a clear plan. They dropped off, held a high line, and hit Regar on the break.

Chiki and Jorge Ortiz were the quick-transition engines, with Muhammed Nemil anchoring the left and Prachit Gaonkar covering the opposite flank. Ortiz had chances to make it two. His long-range effort in the 21st minute sailed over, and in the 27th he slowed in a one-on-one and was dispossessed by Ndongo Foe, a hesitation that would loom large later.

Regar’s threat was clear but contained. Their wingers Nozimov and Ako Assomo drove deep for crosses, and Frank Alanne dragged a shot over in the 40th minute. At the break, Goa led 1-0 and sat top of Group C.

Goa made the first of the changes early, with Lara Sharma in goal for Bob Jackson Raj, and by the hour mark the match had turned scrappy. Aakash Sangwan went off injured, Foe was booked for a foul on Ortiz, and tempers flared in the 59th minute.

Regar pushed, and Nozimov and Assomo created a flurry of chances from the 70th minute. Sharma stood tall with saves, and Goa’s wing play briefly threatened a second, but Nozimov cleared Sawmsanga’s cross for a corner in the 79th.

Then, at 85′, the dam broke. A quick Regar counter, started by Davlatov, ended with his shot from outside the box beating Sharma. Goa pushed for a draw but their defensive shape backfired. Deep into injury time, Davlatov rose to meet a Nozimov corner and headed home the winner.

A late Ortiz corner at 90+3′ ended in the keeper’s gloves, and the whistle went at 90+5′.

FULL-TIME | FC Goa 1-2 FC Regar-TadAZ

Faridun Davlatov strikes twice in the 85th and 90th minutes as FC Regar-TadAZ fight back to seal a stunning 1-2 win after Chiki's early opener.#FCGoa #AFCCChallengeLeague #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/jKCKxkPV2c

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) October 17, 2026

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FC Goa Player Ratings

Chiki – 8/10

Goa’s best player. His 8th-minute goal set the tone, and his speed on the break kept Regar’s defence honest for 90 minutes. Even his late through ball for Sawmsanga showed he never stopped looking for a second.

Jorge Ortiz – 7/10

Constantly involved, fouled repeatedly and a nuisance on the counter. But he should have scored one of those first-half chances, and the 27′ one-on-one still stings.

Muhammed Nemil – 6.5/10

Disciplined down the left, an anchor for Goa’s transitions. He held the flank until he was replaced at 88′, just before the collapse.

Prachit Gaonkar – 7.5/10

Covered the right wing tirelessly, which was central to Goa’s counter-attacking structure. Was taken off in the 66th minute, and Regar’s right-side pressure grew after that.

Udanta Singh – 6/10

Contributed to the front line’s hold-up play and pressing before he was replaced at 66′. A quiet match without a decisive moment either way.

Alexandar Vallejo – 7.5/10

Part of a midfield that kept Regar at bay for long spells. His foul on Azizbek Khaitov in the 53rd minute was a reminder that the game was getting physical.

Aakash Sangwan – 7/10

Held the full-back line until injury forced him off at 58′. His exit disrupted a defensive shape that had been working.

Alex Zalaya – 6/10

Part of a back line that restricted Regar to one first-half effort worth noting. The shape cracked only late, and the second-half goals weren’t about one man.

Sandesh Jhingan – 6/10

Led a defence that held for 85 minutes. He and his colleagues will rue the 86′ counter, which cut through a high line.

Akash Singh – 6/10

Combined sensibly in the defensive third and delivered the 90+3′ cross that the Regar keeper gathered. A solid but unspectacular debut.

Bob Jackson Raj (GK) – 6/10

Largely a spectator in the first half, with Alanne’s miss at 40′ the closest he came to action. He was replaced by Lara Sharma at the break.

Substitutes

Lara Sharma (GK) – 5.5/10

Made a key save at 56′ and another at 72′, but was beaten by Davlatov’s long-range shot at 86′. Whether the first goal was saveable is a fair debate.

Sawmsanga – 6/10

Added energy and nearly set up a Goa second at 79′. The cross from the wing was dangerous, but Nozimov’s clearance denied Ortiz.

Ronney Willson – 5.5/10

Came on for the injured Sangwan and was part of a defence that eventually gave way. No obvious error, but little cover for the late Regar surge.

Tomba Singh – 5.5/10

Replaced Gaonkar at 66′ and couldn’t match his workrate on the flank. Regar’s wing pressure grew in the minutes after.

Nim Tamang – 5/10

Entered at 88′, three minutes after the equaliser, with the game already slipping away. Not enough time to settle, and Goa conceded two minutes later.

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