FATORDA: What a way to begin their home campaign for FC Goa! The team which has managed to unite the entire State as one, once again got the passionate fans together at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on a cold Thursday night.
18,600 fans echoed in one voice, doing the best they could do as the 12th man, throughout the ninety minutes of duel. The fans didn’t leave any opportunity to make their presence felt and count on the stands.
While the players danced their way on the pitch, the Goan fans made it even more dramatic from the stands. Their vociferous chants and rapturous voice not only pressurized the opponents but also made the Bengaluru FC go ‘blue’. Truly one of the best welcome and opening to FC Goa’s home campaign ever!
Coro, the man who opened the ISL season four scoring, opened the account at Nehru Stadium giving another reason for the fans to go gaga. Drum beats, brass bands, Forca Goa – Fatorda had it all.
While Bengaluru FC’s Nicolas Ladislao silenced the arena, giving an opportunity for the visitors fans to be noticed just for a moment in the opening 45 minutes, Coro’s second of the evening at the half hour mark sent the home fans
back on their feet before Lanzarote converted from the penalty spot to secure their lead.
The support garnered was astonishing with the tipping point of endearment exemplified in the mammoth crowd on the last November night.
Four goals, three cards in the first half –including a red for visitors Gurpreet Singh Sandhu such was the intensity of the game.
It was a bitter and an embarrassing walk for the Indian keeper, who was flashed direct red for his unruly behavior on Lanzarote in the box, which also conceded a penalty against his team, as he walked off the pitch amidst, boos from the stands. However the Goan keeper Laxmikant Katimmani was applauded and cheered for his every ball touch.
It looked as if it was game over for Bengaluru FC as they were a man less and had to play the remaining match against 12 men. But the Albert Roca’s men came by storm in the second session and scored two quick goals through Nicolas and Paartalu, stunning the 18,600 spectators. But the Gaurs had plenty in store for the home fans. It was Coro yet again to net for the home team and now holds yet another record of being the first player of Season four to score a hat-trick. A perfect entertaining night for the fans and FC Goa as they announce their home campaign with a win in the ISL season four.
