FC Goa vs FC Istiklol: Second half dropoff, Gaurs' winless campaign and other talking points

The Gaurs finished bottom of Group D with no wins.

Indian Super League (ISL) club FC Goa ended their AFC Champions League Two campaign on a disappointing note following a 1-2 loss against FC Istiklol. While the Gaurs played well in the first half, the second half performance once again proved to be the Achilles’ heel.

First half goal from Dejan Drazic set things up positively for Manolo Marquez’s men, however, two quick fire goals from Istiklol in the second half in five minutes ultimately decided the result. While FC Goa threatened to equalize late in the game, but poor finishing in the box supplemented to their second half problems.

Second half troubles show their ugly face for FC Goa

The Gaurs started the game on a positive note and their efforts did bore fruit in the 8th minute when Dejan Drazic opened the scoring with a sublime curling effort past Stosic Nikola. While the scoring did put FC Goa in front, it also spiced up the game as Istiklol started disrupting potential opportunities.

However, the game’s complexion quickly changed in the second half with the visitors only taking eight minutes after the break to level things up. Harsh Patre’s ill-timed decision to pass back to his goalkeeper Lara Sharma, gave Paul Komolafe the opportunity to dribble past him and score in an open net.

ALSO READ: AFC Champions League Two Points Table: Updated Standings after FC Goa’s 2-1 defeat against Istiklol

Penalty concession and winless campaign

Cheap concession of the penalty by Pol Moreno after he handled the ball encapsulated the poor start to the second half. Amirbek Juraboev stepped up and slotted the ball past Lara Sharma to give the visitors a 2-1 lead to the dismay of the home fans.

While the Gaurs tried to exercise and create opportunities, the lack of decent build-up play and finishing in the box, killed any momentum. The result sealed FC Goa’s sixth loss of their Group D campaign out of six games, highlighting the gulf of quality and match fitness between them and their Group D teams.

An AFC campaign of limited positives

The AFC Champions League Two campaign has been a mixed bag for FC Goa with the club scoring a few goals, however, ending up without a single win in Group D. Despite the ongoing suspension of domestic football in India and lack of match fitness and sharpness, the Gaurs did give a decent account of themselves.

The pattern of drop off in performance once the team goes behind will be something that concerns Manolo Marquez and his men. However, the end of AFC Champions League Two campaign also means the end of domestic football for Indian clubs until the AIFF and the football clubs reach a consensus.

The hope for the Indian football fans will be that the domestic football action kicks off as soon as possible. The ongoing stagnation and deadlock only will have an adverse effect on the footballing ecosystem as players continue to seek clarity and lodge pleas to restart the game they truly love.

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