MARGAO: All it took FC Goa was in the second session to undo an 72nd minute of inactivity as Zico’s side notched their first victory in the Hero Indian Super league (ISL) running over Delhi Dynamos 2-1, at Nehru stadium, Fatorda, Saturday.
Substitute Tolgay Özbey bundled in a sensational match-winner in added on time. It was the home side’s first win in five matches and the result also ended Delhi’s unbeaten run in the tournament.
Goa moved up to sixth place with four points while Delhi remain in the fourth position with six points from five games.
Mads Junker opened the scoring for the visitors in the seventh minute while Goa drew level late in the second-half via a Jewel Raja header before Özbey, the Australian forward of Turkish origin, sent the near houseful crowd into raptures by slotting the winning goal in the third minute of added on time.
Both teams set up a high attacking tempo as the game got underway. Delhi soon took the lead as Goa’s defence was left scampering when Hans Mulder threaded a through ball to Burno Arias into the box who played it across to Junker and the Danish player finished on the second attempt.
Goa had numerous chances to equalize in the first half itself but could not find the back of the net. In the 37th minute, Romeo Fernandes put in a low teasing cross into the box, Raja miss-kicked, but the ball fell to Mandar Rao Desai, whose shot was saved by the legs of Kristof Van Hout.
In the second half, Goa pushed ahead even more and the Delhi custodian this time denied Fernandes from point blank range after he was put through by substitute Haroon Amiri.
The equalizer came in the 73rd minute as Desai floated in the ball across the box from the left. The ball was headed back in by Fernandes to Raja who coolly headed it to the far right corner leaving the tall Van Hout stranded.
Goa got the winning goal in added time as Delhi lost possession in the middle. Miroslav Slepička lifted the ball over the defence to play in Özbey who chested the ball down before rounding the keeper and steering it into the net.
Goa travel to Kochi for their next game on November 6 while Delhi Dynamos travel to the maximum city to be hosted by Mumbai City FC on November 5.
