AFC Champions League Two Points Table: Updated Standings after FC Goa's 2-0 defeat against Istiklol

FC Goa lost to FC Istiklol 2-0 in Tajikistan on Wednesday.

FC Goa‘s poor run in the AFC Champions League 2 continued on Wednesday as they conceded another defeat. The Gaurs travelled to Tajikistan but could not return with any points. The Tajik club dominated the defending Indian Super Cup champions throughout the match.

Rustom Sairov and Reza Dehghani scored the goals for FC Istiklol to give the hosts a comfortable victory. They earned their first points in the tournament after being humbled at the hands of Al Nassr on the first matchday.

Poor start continues for FC Goa

The Indian club showed resilience in the first half, raising the hope of collecting points from this away fixture, but the second half was another story altogether. Istiklol came all guns blazing in the second half to cap off a comprehensive win.

This result has given Istiklol three valuable points, opening their account on the points table. They are sitting in third place in the Group D points table after a win and a loss in the first two games. Whereas FC Goa dropped to the bottom of the group with no points after two consecutive losses.

In the other group D fixture, Al Nassr defeated Al Zawraa with a 2-0 score line in Baghdad. The Iraqi club tested the Saudi Arabian champions but could not withstand the pressure in the later phase of the game. Al Nassr have strengthened their grip on the first position after two matchdays.

With 6 points in their bag, they are ahead of the other three teams in the group. While Al Zawraa are marginally ahead of FC Istiklol. Both teams have the same number of points, but a superior goal difference has given Al Zawraa an edge.

Also Read: Encouraging positives & alarming negatives from FC Goa’s 2-0 loss against Istiklol in ACL 2

Al Nassr up next

FC Goa’s next match will be their toughest assignment in their AFC Champions League 2 campaign. The Gaurs host Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr at the Fatorda Stadium in Goa on October 22. Sandesh Jhingan’s return has boosted their defense, which will face the biggest challenge of their careers.

Manolo Marquez will also keep his focus on the Super Cup. The next two weeks will give him an opportunity to bolster the preparations for a grueling season ahead.

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