FC Goa picked up a hard-fought point on the road in Kolkata as they extended their unbeaten start to the 2025–26 Indian Super League season to four games with a goalless draw against East Bengal FC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Thursday evening.
The Gaurs started brightly and had more of the ball in the early stages, dictating the tempo of the game through much of the first half. FC Goa controlled possession and territory during the opening period, looking composed in build-up and patient in their approach as they searched for openings against the home side.
East Bengal grew into the contest after the break and began to push forward with greater urgency as the match progressed. The hosts mounted a late surge in the final quarter of the game in search of a breakthrough, but Goa’s defensive unit stood firm under pressure, producing a disciplined performance to deny the home side any clear path to goal.
Speaking after the match, head coach Manolo Márquez reflected on the contest: “It wouldn’t be fair if I said FC Goa deserved to win. Some moments were dominated by us, some by East Bengal, but the result was fair. It’s true I have a lot of quality on the bench and this is why I put players like Rabeeh on to try and turn the score, but I am very, very satisfied with the performance of our team because we fought very well.”
The result sees the Gaurs continue their positive start to the league campaign. FC Goa will now take advantage of a 10-day break to regroup and work on the training ground before travelling for their next away fixture against Punjab FC in New Delhi.
