Noah's brace along with goals from Victor and Martinez help Gaurs outclass Mohun Bagan 4-1
FC Goa's Noah Sadaoui (L) dribbles past a Mohun Bagan player during the Indian Super League match.
PANAJI
FC Goa possibly felt more at home at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan than hosts Mohun Bagan Super Giant, outclassing them and registering a scintillating 4-1 win on Saturday in the Indian Super League (ISL).
Noah Sadaoui scored a brace, while Victor Rodriguez and Carlos Martinez also added to the Gaurs’ goal-scoring tally.
Earlier in the day, Goa head coach Manolo Marquez made just one change from their previous starting line-up against Mumbai City, as skipper Brandon Fernandes returned from injury to replace Boris Singh.
The early moments of the game were marked by intense action, with Noah putting FC Goa ahead in the 10th minute. A penalty awarded for a high boot by Manvir Singh saw Mohun Bagan goalkeeper Vishal Kaith diving the right way, but Noah's precision found the bottom corner of the net.
In the 42nd minute, the Gaurs then doubled their lead through a well-coordinated play. Brandon initiated a dazzling sequence, delivering a pinpoint cross to Victor Rodriguez.
Victor did well to control the ball with his chest and pass to Carl McHugh, before making a run into the six-yard box and finishing well after getting the ball back from the Irishman.
When Noah struck again in the 3rd minute of added time, the home team fans were stunned to silence. Displaying remarkable individual skill, the Moroccan weaved through the defence before calmly slotting the ball home.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant, however, managed to pull one back in the 8th minute of added time. Dimitrios Petratos curled in a stunning free-kick from 25 yards to give his team some comfort at half-time.
By then, however, the Men in Orange had already established the all-time ISL record of keeping a clean-sheet for the most minutes, having last conceded a goal 545 minutes earlier.
Marquez gets the better of Ferrando once again
Following the change of ends, Noah Sadaoui was presented with an opportunity for a hat-trick in the 51st minute itself. A long ball from Brandon Fernandes put Noah in a one-on-one situation with Kaith.
However, a double save from Kaith and his own third attempt of a bicycle kick that sailed over the bar, denied him another strike.
The Mariners, meanwhile, did their level best to threaten FC Goa by creating some chances, but the visitors’ defence, led by Odei Onaindia held their fort strongly. The Spaniard was complemented well by Sandesh Jhingan, Seriton Fernandes and Jay Gupta, with each of them playing a crucial role in the win.
In the 79th minute, it was Paulo Retre’s turn to try and add to the Gaurs’ lead, but his shot from just outside the box flew just wide of the far post.
Undeterred by this, the Men in Orange kept on in their hunt for their fourth goal, which eventually came in the second minute of added time with Carlos Martinez hammering in the final nail on the opponents’ coffin.
Saviour Gama was brought down inside the box by Anirudh Thapa, and Martinez stepped up to take the spot-kick, sending Kaith the wrong way to score for the second time in the ISL.
Manolo Marquez’s boys thus notched their seventh win of their campaign, also extending their unbeaten start to nine matches.
With 23 points, they remain on the top of the points’ table, and will hope to close out the first half of their season next Friday, when they take on NorthEast United FC in yet another assignment away from home.
