ISL 2024-25: Brison Fernandes powers FC Goa to second on points table after East Bengal win
ISL 2024-25: Brison Fernandes powers FC Goa to second on points table after East Bengal win
FC Goa defeated East Bengal FC 1-0 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 on Sunday to move to second on the points table after Brison Fernandes scored the only goal in the match.
The Gaurs, now six points off leader Mohun Bagan, notched up their eighth victory of the season, having 30 points to their name from 16 matches now.
As FC Goa kept creating a spate of opportunities, Hijazi Maher conceded a corner to thwart an offensive move by the Gaurs. However, the set-piece yielded the needed outcome for the Gaurs, as Borja Herrera picked the ball on the right flank and curled in a cross for Brison Fernandes, who headed the ball into the middle of the net from the centre of the box in the 13th minute to bring up his sixth goal of the season.
Seven minutes later, Richard Celis tested his luck from considerable distance upon receiving a ball from Dimitrios Diamantakos. His right-footed effort on the left was too high to the target though.
East Bengal FC wasn’t far off in trying out opportunities from outside of the box either. Jeakson Singh made one such move in the 37th minute, and though the delivery had enough power behind it, the ball missed the top right corner by a whisker.
The Gaurs brought in Ayush Dev Chhetri in the second half for Sahil Tavora, but it was East Bengal FC who dictated terms in the start of the final essay of the game. Celis was served a tempting pass by Vishnu on the left side of the six-yard box but his shot, which was heading towards target, was blocked to save FC Goa the blushes in the 52nd minute.
In a quick passage of play in the 67th minute, Nandhakumar Sekar and Vishnu provided Celis deliveries inside the 18-yard box, and despite making a right-footed shot and then an headed effort, his well-directed attempts on his ISL debut were saved by Hrithik Tiwari.
Lal Chungnunga made a rather hurried effort to find the back of the net as he aimed for the target from over 35 yards out upon obtaining a pass from Maher in the 88th minute. The shot was impressively landing right in the centre of the net, but Tiwari held his ground to ensure that the Gaurs walked away with all three points from this match.
