FC Goa secured their first win of their Indian Super League 2024-25 campaign as they edged past East Bengal 3-2 at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Friday. Despite East Bengal’s best efforts, Borja Herrera’s sensational hattrick, the first of the season, was enough for Goa to get all three points.
The visitors started the game brightly as they made some impactful moves into the final third. The likes of Dejan Drazic, Borja Herrera and Boris Singh made openings early on in the game. Their persistent attacks were soon rewarded when Drazic’s cross from the left was parried away by East Bengal goalkeeper Debjit Majumder. However, the stray ball fell to Borja in space and the Spaniard slotted it into the net in the 13th minute.
The Gaurs kept troubling the East Bengal backline with their darting counter-attacks. In one such move, Boris Singh won possession from Hijazi Maher on the right flank in a dangerous area. The youngster came up with a perfectly weighted cut-back to find Borja in the box, who slammed it home again in the 20th minute to double the lead for the visitors.
However, the Carles Cuadrat-coached team retaliated well with some offensive moves. They eventually found an opening when Nim Dorjee Tamang tripped Madih Talal in the penalty area, awarding the Red and Gold Brigade a spot-kick and an opportunity to come back in the game. Talal stepped up and calmly slotted it past Laxmikant Kattimani in the 29th minute.
The home side started the second period positively with some penetrative attacks. However, the real opening fell to Goa, when Drazic and Rowllin Borges combined and opened up the Red and Gold defence. But the latter’s eventual effort was wide off target. The Serbian came up with another effort from outside the box but once again it went wide.
Goa regained their two-goal advantage in the 71st minute when Udanta Singh won possession from Hijazi and squared it to Borja in space. The Spanish midfielder cruised his way into the penalty area before rippling the back of the net to complete his hattrick.
The visitors were in a spot of bother when Carl McHugh received a second yellow card in the 81st minute. East Bengal FC made full use of their numeric advantage when David Lalhlansanga pulled one goal back in the 85th minute after Kattimani parried a long-range effort from Anwar Ali straight on his path.
East Bengal FC kept pushing for the equaliser in the final minutes but FC Goa held fort and walked away with maximum points.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!