Clinical Goa hammers five past Delhi, to move into top spot

by Chittu Shetty December 17, 2017

FC Goa condemned Delhi Dynamos to their fourth consecutive defeat with a 5-1 thrashing simultaneously toppling BFC from the top spot in their Hero Indian Super League (ISL) encounter at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium

Manuel Jesus Arana Rodriguez of FC Goa scores during match 25 of the Hero Indian Super League between Delhi Dynamos FC and FC Goa held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi, India on the 16th December 2017
Photo by: Ron Gaunt / ISL / SPORTZPICS

In the end, it turned out to be an easy victory to Sergio Lobera’s side, who are now at the top of the ISL table. Ferran Corominas, Manuel Lanzarote, Adrian Colunga and Manuel Arana registered their name on the score sheet for FC Goa. For Delhi, Kalu Uche scored one goal which was no more than a consolation for the home side.

After both sides rattled the bar early on in the first half, FC Goa opened the scoring in a bit fortuitous fashion. In the 45th minute, Delhi goalkeeper Sukhadev Patil, who had come into the match to replace the injured Albinos Gomes, failed to deal with Manuel Lanzarote’s free-kick. The ball ping-ponged in the 18-yard area before the in-form Ferran Corominas tapped it in to hand Goa the lead.

Almost immediately after the restart, Delhi conceded again. Having contributed to the first goal, Lanzarote smashed in a 30-yard curler to double the advantage for Lobera’s side just before the referee blew the whistle for half-time.

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In the second half, Delhi Dynamos started off brightly and, at the hour-mark, Delhi pulled one back. Jeroen Lumu’s through-ball for Romeo Fernandes cut open FC Goa’s defence for once and the midfielder cut the ball across the goal for Kalu Uche to claim a simple tap-in.

Uche’s strike looked to ignite a comeback for Delhi but all their hopes were doused in the 66th minute when Gabriel Cichero was given marching orders by the referee after the Venezuelan picked up a second yellow. Even after Cichero’s dismissal, Delhi worked hard to hit Goa again but an own-goal by Pritam Kotal in the 84th minute opened the floodgates for FC Goa who hit two more goals to stun the home fans.

Just a minute after Kotal’s lunging effort to stop a low cross ended up in his own net, it was substitute Adrian Colunga’s turn to get his name on the scoresheet. Manuel Arana’s cross at the back post was volleyed in by Colunga in the 85th minute.

In the 88th minute Arana, who had provided an assist earlier, latched on to a loose ball in the box to slam home Goa’s fifth of the night.

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