FC Goa win the final group game against Downtown Heroes
FC Goa have cemented their spot in the knockout stages of the Durand Cup 2023, following their 3-0 win over Downtown Heroes FC in their final group stage game at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati.
Goals by Muhammed Nemil, Carlos Martinez and Devendra Murgaokar helped the Men in Orange wrap up their Durand Cup group stage campaign with a win.
Key moments
The opening goal of the match came in the 19th minute, and it was a moment of sheer brilliance from Muhammed Nemil that set the tone for the Gaurs’ dominance.
Martinez orchestrated the play, deftly laying the ball off for Nemil with a cheeky backheel flick, and the 21-year-old, with a burst of pace and precision, advanced towards the goal and unleashed a thunderous strike from over 30 yards out.
The ball rocketed into the top corner of the net, rendering the Downtown Heroes goalkeeper helpless. FC Goa continued to press forward, showcasing their attacking intent and fluid passing.
Their efforts were rewarded once again in the 42nd minute, this time with Carlos Martinez making his mark on the scoresheet. Neil, the architect of the first goal, turned provider this time as he displayed commendable vision and skill to play a perfectly weighted pass out wide to Udanta Singh.
The latter then swiftly manoeuvred down the flank and delivered a precision cross into the heart of the six-yard box for Martinez to meet it with a decisive header from close range, thereby registering his second goal since signing for the Gaurs.
Following the change of ends, Downtown Heroes adopted a more physical approach to try and come back into the contest.
Despite this, FC Goa continued to create chances at will and should have added a third in the 72nd minute, when Noah Sadaoui found Martinez with a well-timed cross from the left. The Spanish forward, however, fired his attempt over the bar.
Finally, Devendra Murgaokar, who came on in the second half replacing Martinez, added the finishing touches for his team when he snatched the ball from the opposition goalkeeper and slotted home from close range in the last minute of stoppage time.
Following the win, the Men in Orange have completed their Durand Cup group stage campaign with seven points from three matches and find themselves at the top of the Group D standings.
Second-placed NorthEast United have four points from two matches and will have an opportunity to seal a quarter-final berth with the Gaurs if they beat Downtown Heroes in their final game on Sunday.
Javier Siverio proved to be the match-winner to put his side in the knockout stage
East Bengal secured its position on top of Group A they beat Punjab FC by a solitary goal in the 132nd Durand Cup, at the Kishore Bharati Stadium.
Spanish striker Javier Siverio found the all-important goal midway through the opening half to secure the full quota of points for East Bengal, which tallied seven points from three matches to ensure the top spot, nudging out traditional rival Mohun Bagan, which finished on six points.
With the tournament regulations stipulating automatic quarterfinal qualification for the group toppers, Mohun Bagan will now have to wait for the final standings in other groups before fancying its chance of reaching the quarterfinals as one of the two best second-placed teams.
East Bengal continued with the momentum it gained after beating Indian Super League champion Mohun Bagan in the previous match and came up with a disciplined performance to outshine the I-League winner Punjab FC to pick up its second consecutive win.
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