FC Goa edge past Al Seeb in a thriller to confirm their ACL 2 group stage berth

FC Goa trumped the Omani club with a goal margin to cap off a remarkable performance.

FC Goa have made it to the ACL 2 group stage with a gritty victory against Oman’s Al Seeb. The Gaurs had to fight hard to scrape this win as the match went down to the wire, with both clubs putting their absolute best to produce a cracker of a contest.

FC Goa had a tricky start to the contest as Al Seeb looked determined to press high, and they did. The Omani club looked comfortable with the ball in the first few minutes of the game, forcing the Gaurs to sit deep and soak in pressure. The Goan backline had to instantly pull things together to keep Al Seeb away from making inroads.

Also Read: FC Goa vs Al Seeb Highlights: Watch AFC Champions League 2 Playoff replay

Pressure and prize for Goa in the first half

Right from the second minute, the Goan defense was put to the test as the new signing Pol Moreno had to make a lunging clearance to stave off a delicious cross from Nasser Sultan Al-Rawahi. The right wing was kept busy by Al-Rawahi as he continued to push forward and put Aakash Sangwan under pressure.

With Drazic not tracking back as much as Udanta on the other side, Sangwan had to do the heavy lifting on the wings to keep Al Seeb in check.

The first twenty minutes for FC Goa were all about keeping their shape and making it tough for Al Seeb to penetrate the Goan setup through the centre of the park. Staving off the pressure brilliantly, Goa tried to find a few aerial passes to the players staying up top.

Full-time 🚨🚨🇮🇳 FC Goa 2-1 Al Seeb 🇴🇲Dejan Drazic 24'Javier Siverio 52' Nasser Al-Rawahi 60' Watch the full-match replay on Khel Now TV/YouTube.👉 https://t.co/ATNzQqZHeL#IndianFootball #FCGoa #Football pic.twitter.com/Ir65jc77FS

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) August 13, 2025

One of those long balls from the midfield found Drazic on the left, with Al Seeb players committed high in Goa’s half. Drazic got acres of space to run with the ball, forcing the Al Seeb goalkeeper to come forward.

Drazic used this opportunity to chip the ball over the committed opposition goalkeeper, putting FC Goa into the lead against the run of play.

This goal gave the Gaurs the confidence to continue with the approach of keeping things compact and looking for quick counterattacks. However, as the first half approached its close, FC Goa had to face waves of attack, which they succeeded in quelling.

Intent on display from FC Goa in the second half

Contrary to the first half, the script had a booming start written on it for the Gaurs. FC Goa looked more determined to push up the pitch and test Al Seeb’s defence. In the 51st minute of the game, Drazic made a darting run into the box, deceiving the Al Seeb defence. He took a brilliant shot that led to a corner.

The corner was taken short, with Borja Herrera putting a cross in the box that created chaos, leading to a mishap by the goalkeeper, prompting Javier Siverio to head the ball towards the goal, doubling the lead for the Gaurs.

However, the Omani club came quickly with a riposte. Zahir Al-Aghbhari was a constant outlet on the left and it was his link-up with the overlapping left-back Ali Sulaiman Al-Busaidi that created the chance for Al Seeb through a shot from a narrow angle from Al-Busaidi that got Nasser Sultan Al-Rawahi’s touch to ripple the net in the 60th minute.

FC Goa defend their slender lead with all might and heart

From there on, FC Goa just had one plan to execute – to defend for their lives. Al Seeb kept on piling the pressure with fresh legs coming in as substitutes.

The playing conditions were also taking a toll on FC Goa players. Aakash Sangwan felt the heat as he went down in the 75th minute and had to be substituted ultimately. Borja Herrera took Sangwan’s position, dropping deep in the defence. Sahil Tavora was introduced in the midfield to cover up.

With six minutes added to the regulation time, FC Goa had to keep their calm in the face of a relentless onslaught. The Gaurs just continued absorbing the pressure put on by their ruthless Omani counterparts until the whistle was blown by the referee, putting the stamp on Goa’s qualification to the ACL 2 group stage.

In times of anxious adversity for Indian Football, this hard-fought victory comes as a massive relief for the fans, as they have something to bring smiles to their faces.

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