FATORDA: A rampant FC Goa took a huge step towards qualification for the semi-finals with an emphatic 5-1 victory over defending champions ATK at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Wednesday.
Sergio Juste, Ferran Corominas and Mark Sifneos scored a goal each along with Manuel Lanzarote’s double as the Gaurs emerged strong contenders for the Hero Indian Super League playoff spots. Robbie Keane scored for ATK.
Goa are now 4th with 27 points, ahead of Jamshedpur who have 26.
The two teams face off on March 4 in what will be a decisive match. With Goa notching up the win, Kerala Blasters are out of the the contention for playoff. The JFC and FC Goa match on Sunday will decide the forth spot.
A win here will pave way for either of the team to qualify, however Goa could make it with a draw as well.
ATK had made a good start but Goa took the lead when Hugo Boumous’ corner was met by Juste’s header. That opened the floodgates and five minutes later, Soram Poirei’s save from Mandar Rao Dessai’s curling effort went into the path of Lanzarote, who scored with a neat finish.
Goa tripled their lead soon after. Pronoy Halder played a glorious diagonal ball to Lanzarote who brought it down expertly, zipped past Ashutosh Mehta and found the far corner with a sweet shot.
Corominas had a chance to score within minutes but the cross from Narayan Das was just over his leap. He eventually scored in the second half from a clever freekick to make it 4-0.
ATK had some chances to score scattered throughout the 90 minutes. First Sibongakonke Mbatha blazed over at the half-time mark and then Keane had two chances in quick succession in the second period. His first was a typically instinctive attempt to finish from a volley played at a tight angle and the second was a high flick which almost went in.
When he finally scored, it was after dancing past two defenders to get a consolation from a deflection which went in off the post.
As the game headed for a finish, the Gaurs added a fifth just as the clock struck 90. A long ball forward was inadvertently knocked back by an ATK defender and Sifneos chased it down and netted comfortably at the far post. The Gaurs really should have had a sixth deep into stoppage time after Liston Colaco’s brilliant run saw his cross for Boumous. However, the Moroccan delayed his shot and laid it to Sifneos who couldn’t sort his feet in time. The ball came off a defender’s leg to Lanzarote but the Spaniard couldn’t wrap his right foot around the ball to curl it home and secure his hatrick.
