Delhi Dynamos registered only their second win of the side but it was enough for them to leapfrog to the third spot in the Indian Super League table. For Dynamos, it was their second half substitutes who came on to influence proceedings. Marcelinho's cracking solo effort gave his side the lead before Richard Gadze doubled the advantage minutes later to beat FC Goa 2-0 at the Fatorda Stadium on Sunday. This was the bottom-placed Goa's fifth loss of the season.
Zico should be lauded for fielding a number of attackers to give his side an early lead. His opposite number, Gianluca Zambrotta, countered the Brazilian's strategy by preserving his attacking options for later. It was Goa who were the early pacesetter and they could have had the lead around the half-hour mark through a fine strike from Mandar Rao Dessai, which struck the woodwork.
The Dynamos, though, stemmed the flow of attacks through a defence spearheaded by Anas Edathodika. who made a crucial goal-line clearance from Rafael Coelho's chip. The away side lacked creativity in the final third and was Goa's failure to close down the space between the lines, something that troubled them all season, that gave Dynamos a look-in at goal. Apart from a half-chance from Gadze, they offered little threat up front.
Romeo Fernandes, coming back into the side, showed plenty of energy in the first-half but all the good work of Goa seemed to come undone when Zambrotta introduced Marcelinho and Kean Lewis just after the hour mark.
In the 70th minute, Dynamos took the lead through Marcelinho, who found plenty of space in the box on the left, and his finish was of first-rate quality, finding the top corner with a left-foot strike from a difficult angle. Four minutes later, the Dynamos killed the contest with a second goal, punishing the perplexed Goa defence, who had failed to mark Gadze. Marcelinho had played an important part during the buildup with a backpedaling header from the by-line from an excellent cross from Florent Malouda.
The Goan attackers dramatically ran out of steam and the Dynamos could have had a third goal when another substitute, Badara Badji, was through on goal, but was denied by Subhashish Roy Choudhary from point-blank range.
Brief scores:
FC Goa 0 lose to Delhi Dynamos 2 (Marcelinho, Richard Gadze)
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