FC Goa reaffirmed their dominance at home with well-earned 2-1 victory over 10-men Odisha FC at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda on Thursday.
Brison Fernandes starred with a goal in the first half before an own-goal Lalthathanga Khawlhring early in the second gave the Gaurs a comfortable lead. Rahul KP pulled one back for Odisha, but it was not enough to deny Manolo Marquez’s side, who climbed back to second place in the ISL standings with 36 points from 19 matches.
The win was an important response for Goa, who saw their 12-match unbeaten streak- lasting 101 days, a record for the ongoing 2024-25 season – come to an end earlier this week against Jamshedpur FC.
Determined to prove that loss was just a blip, the Men in Orange came out with intent and energy, dominating proceedings from the
start whistle.
Marquez made two changes to his starting XI, bringing in Sahil Tavora and Mohammad Yasir for Rowllin Borges and Ayush Chhetri. The tactical tweaks immediately paid off as FC Goa controlled possession and launched an early offensive.
The hosts nearly opened the scoring within three minutes when Borja Herrera, collecting a pass from Brison outside the box, struck a well-placed shot towards the bottom left corner. However, Odisha goalkeeper Amrinder Singh reacted sharply,
diving to palm the ball away for a corner.
Yasir then came close in the ninth minute, letting fly from distance, but his effort was blocked by Saviour Gama. Brison continued to dictate play from midfield and was instrumental in attack. In the 14th minute, he played a clever pass to Iker Guarrotxena, whose shot was saved once again by Amrinder.
The Gaurs kept probing, with Iker returning the favour to Brison in the 23rd minute. The youngster tried to curl his shot into the bottom left corner, but Odisha’s custodian was once again up to the task.
The visitors first real chance came from a set-piece in the 28th minute, when Ahmad Jahouh struck a free-kick that rattled the crossbar. That moment of danger for FC Goa was swiftly forgotten, as they found the breakthrough just a minute later.
Borja picked out Brison with a sublime pass, and the 23-year-old midfielder made no mistake, slotting the ball into the bottom right corner from the centre of the box. It was his eighth goal of the season, further cementing his status as one of the breakout stars of the league this season.
Odisha FC then had a golden opportunity to draw level in the 36th minute when the referee awarded a penalty after a foul on Diego Mauricio inside the box. The Brazilian stepped up confidently, but Goa’s young goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari produced a stunning save, diving to his left to deny Mauricio and preserve the lead.
Buoyed by Tiwari’s heroics, the Gaurs intensified their attack, with Iker, Borja, and Carl McHugh all testing Amrinder before the half-time whistle. However, Odisha’s goalkeeper ensured the score remained 1-0 at the break.
The hosts wasted no time extending their advantage after the restart. Just two minutes into the second half, Brison was once again involved as he latched onto a loose ball inside the box following a failed clearance. His strike took a wicked
deflection off Lalthathanga Khawlhring, completely wrong-footing Amrinder a nestling into the bottom corner.
The goal may have been recorded as an own-goal, but one cannot ignore the moment of brilliance from Brison that forced the error. Despite being 2-0 down, Odisha FC responded quickly. In the 54th minute, Hugo Boumous orchestrated a swift counterattack, squaring the ball to Rahul KP on the
right flank. The winger slotted his shot past Tiwari to bring the visitors back into the contest.
Rahul’s goal could have turned the tide, but FC Goa remained composed and continued to create chances. Iker went close on multiple occasions, forcing Amrinder into a couple of sharp saves. Odisha, too, had their rare moments, but the Gaurs’ defence held firm, and Jahouh’s red card did not help them either.
In the last minute of stoppage game, the Juggernauts nearly found an equalizer when Mourtada Fall delivered a dangerous pass into the box. However, Sandesh Jhingan made a crucial last-ditch block to deny the visitors and secure all three points for the Men in Orange.
The victory further saw Goa reclaim second place in the ISL standings, strengthening their bid for a semi-final spot in the ISL Cup playoff. With 36 points from 19 matches, they now turn their attention to a crucial away clash against Mumbai City FC next Wednesday, where they will look to further consolidate their position.
