FC Goa thrash Mumbai City FC 7-0 go three points clear on top

by FC admin November 18, 2015

Haokip and Dudu scored six goals among themselves, with former bagging the 100^th goal in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2015 and both bagging a hat-trick each.

Margao, 17 November 2015: FC Goa hammered Mumbai City FC by a margin of 7-0 to record the biggest victory in the history of the Indian Super League (ISL) in a round 10 clash played at the PJN stadium in Margao, Goa, on Tuesday evening.

Thongkhosiem Haokip (34’, 52’, 79’) and Dudu Omagbemi (42’, 64’, 67’) scored more than just their first goals while Reinaldo da Cruz Oliveira (90’) scored his third in FC Goa colours in the 100^th game of the tournament cumulatively from last year.

The win takes the Gaurs three points ahead of FC Pune City and Delhi Dynamos FC as Zico’s side have accumulated 18 points from 10 matches while Mumbai City FC have 12 points from as many outings.

Jofre Mateu Gonzalez and Mandar Rao Dessai were back in Zico’s first 11 with Dudu getting his first start while Narayan Das, Bikramjit Singh and Rafael Coelho Luiz made way for the trio.

Player-manager Nicolas Anelka had two changes in his team. Sunil Chhetri was back from the Indian national team duty in place of Subash Singh and Lalchhuanmawia Fanai replaced Brandon Fernandes who is ruled out of the season.

FC Goa attacked more frequently at the start of play. Leo Moura’s through ball for Haokip was one of the better chances, but Mumbai goalkeeper Subrata Paul rushed out of his area to claim the ball first.

Soon after, Frederic Piquionne robed the loose ball from the feet of Lucio. The Goan side’s marquee player’s blushes were saved as the French striker’s attempt to find Keegan Pereira on the left fell short of the latter.

Jofre’s left-footed free kick was thwarted by Subrata and the rebound shot wide by Haokip in the 10^th minute after Pavel Cmovs’ foul on Dudu. Three minutes later, Keegan headed wide Anelka’s cross from the right on the other side.

Chhetri had a shot at goal in the 22^nd minute after receiving a diagonal pass from Piquionne but the same was blocked by Gregory Arnolin while Chhetri turned the provider for his team-mate moments later when FC Goa goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani had to make the timely intervention.

Meanwhile, another chance for the home side off a free-kick, this time taken by Moura after Haokip was brought down by Cmovs, was shot wide in the 26^th minute. Subrata blocked the goal bound shot and Romeo Fernandes sent the rebound skyward.

Haokip eventually broke the deadlock in the 34^th minute. The Manipuri lad flicked on Jonatan Lucca’s pass to Dudu and ensured that his team-mate’s attempt that was rolling towards the goal line found the back of the net.

Less than 10 minutes later, the fans at Fatorda had more to celebrate as Lucio charged into the attack and let Moura release Dudu into the Mumbai box. The Nigerian had an impeccable first touch before slotting the ball past Subrata in the 42^nd minute.

Kattimani made a double save in the 42^nd minute to deny Anelka at his left near post by sticking out his left foot and then stood firm to Cristian Bustos’ shot from outside the box off the rebound to see his side leading 2-0 going into the break.

FC Goa scored three goals in 20 minutes as Haokip beat his marker in Darren O’Dea at the right post to tap in a well measured cross from the left by Jofre after the Spaniard was played on by Lucca in the 52^nd minute.

A couple of minutes later, Arnolin could have been on the scorecard if not for the being in offside position to nod in Moura’s free kick while Lucca too got close with a long ranger.

Salim Benachour and Piquionne forced saves from Kattimani in the few chances Mumbai City had in the second half at around the hour mark before the Goans went up by four goals.

Subrata was startled by Jofre’s free-kick which Dudu slammed in, in the 64^th minute. Dudu completed his hat-trick three minutes later as he was left with the easy job to tap in the ball after Moura left the entire Mumbai defense speechless.

Reinaldo, who replaced Dudu, almost had an assist in the 66^th minute but Moura just about missed the target with a curling right-footer from the edge of the box.

FC Goa had another hat-trick hero as Haokip followed up on the second with Subrata already committed to effecting a save to block Romeo’s fierce shot at goal in the 79^th minute.

When it looked like Mumbai City had enough, FC Goa made it 7-0 in the 90^th minute. Mandar got past Kingshuk Debnath on the left wing and his cross from the left was gently headed down by Moura for Reinaldo to finish.