Three thousand and forty five days. That’s how long Sandesh Jhingan had waited to celebrate a victory in an FC Goa versus Kerala Blasters clash at Fatorda. Back in October 2016, he was on the other side, in yellow, as Kerala edged Goa in a thriller. On Saturday night, though, he was a wall in orange, immovable, impenetrable, and instrumental in the Gaurs’ 2-0 victory.
The win, the Gaurs’ third on the bounce in the league, not only strengthened their grip on second place in the Indian Super League (ISL) standings but also completed the double over Kerala Blasters, having edged them 1-0 in Kochi earlier this season.
Earlier in the day, head coach Manolo Marquez made three changes to the side that clinched a statement win against Mumbai City FC. Aakash Sangwan returned from suspension to replace Jay Gupta at left-back, Dejan Drazic stepped in for the suspended Borja Herrera, and Mohammad Yasir started ahead of Brison Fernandes, who was rested following an injury scare in the Mumbai game.
Yet, despite the wave of optimism in the stands, it was the visitors who settled quicker into the contest. Kerala Blasters, fighting to keep their playoff ambitions alive, dictated possession in the opening exchanges and tested Goa’s defensive mettle. But in Jhingan, they found a ghost of their past they simply could not exorcise.
The veteran defender turned in a masterclass in last-ditch defending, snuffing out attacks with a mix of crunching tackles and immaculate positioning. Time and again, he threw himself into challenges, repelling Kerala’s advances and setting the tone for his teammates to follow. But then, for all their defensive resilience, the Men in Orange found themselves stuttering in the final third.
An early drinks break at the half-hour mark seemed to inject some much-needed spark, as the hosts began carving out openings with increasing frequency.
The best chance of the half came from a dazzling sequence of play. A slick one-two between Drazic and Iker Guarrotxena saw the Serbian drive forward before threading a perfectly weighted pass back to his Spanish team-mate.
Iker’s response was instant – a deft chip over two defenders, landing precisely at Drazic’s feet. The stadium held its breath. Drazic pulled the trigger. Kamaljit Singh, Kerala’s last line of defence, somehow got a foot to it..Fatorda erupted in anticipation, then groaned in disbelief. But their celebrations were merely delayed, not denied.
The second half had barely kicked off when the Gaurs struck. Kerala were probing, looking for an opening, but Goa’s midfield had other ideas. A perfectly timed interception led to a rapid transition, with Udanta Singh switching play to Drazic on the right flank. The Serbian cut inside, firing a venomous shot that caught Kamaljit off guard. The Kerala custodian could only parry it away, and like a seasoned poacher, Iker Guarrotxena pounced on the rebound, slotting home to send Fatorda into raptures.
Kerala, reeling from the opener, struggled to regroup. And in the 73rd minute, FC Goa delivered the knockout blow. This time again, it was Udanta who sparked the move, intercepting a loose pass before setting Carl McHugh in motion. Sensing the opportunity, Sangwan surged forward, collecting a pass from McHugh before feeding it to Iker once again.
The Spaniard, surrounded by three defenders, wriggled free, dancing his way to the
byline before rolling the ball across goal. Yasir arrived like a bullet train at the far post,
applying the finishing touch to put the game beyond doubt.
The second goal drained whatever fight was left in Kerala. For Goa, it was confirmation – they were still in the race for the League Shield, still in control of their destiny, still a team to be feared.
With 42 points from 21 matches, the Gaurs sit seven points adrift of league leaders Mohun Bagan Super Giant. The Shield may still be a long shot, but their primary target – a top-two finish and a direct berth in the semi-finals – remains firmly within reach.
Three more games stand between them and that goal, starting with a trip to Punjab FC next Thursday.
