Goa, April 29, 2021: A depleted FC Goa side were beaten 0-2 by Al Wahda in their final AFC Champions League match tonight at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa. Owing to a concerning COVID-19 situation, FC Goa were without the services of all their foreign players as well as head coach Juan Ferrando.

The result means that the Gaurs finished third in Group E in their maiden appearance in the tournament thanks to three points owing to three draws.

The foreign contingent were all forced to leave for their native Spain abruptly, which saw eleven Indian players take the pitch for the first time in AFC Champions League history. It was a great opportunity for all the players involved, but when the opening whistle blew, it became clear that the team was more than willing to put up a real fight.

Al Wahda, coming into the game at the back of three successive wins were full of confidence, and bombarded the Goan penalty area with bodies in the first half, leading to a host of decent chances.

Lucas Pimenta fashioned the first really big opportunity just short of the 15-minute mark following a corner, but his tame effort was easy for Dheeraj Singh to deal with in the Goa goal.

Omar Khribin was growing into the game, and he managed two good chances back to back. First in the 26th minute, his effort just went wide off his left boot, and then with a well timed header just three minutes later, he created another opportunity that needed to be saved by a diving Dheeraj Singh in the FC Goa goal.

Tim Matavz was the main man up front for the Emiratis, and he had a good chance of his own just after the half hour mark, but despite finding himself one-on-one with Dheeraj, the striker fired his shot over the bar.

The Gaurs did manage one decent chance of their own in the first half, which came following a free kick that was only partially dealt with by Al Wahda custodian Mohamed Al Shamsi.

The follow up shot came to Glan Martins, but Al Shamsi was sharp enough to block the effort from the all-action midfielder. Goa kept out the visitors for the rest of the half with some dogged defending in their own penalty area, and knew they were in for a war come the second period.

More of the same came the home side’s way once the second half began, but Dheeraj was proving to be the difference between the two sides.

The talented goalkeeper first denied Khalil Ibrahim in the 49th minute from point blank range, and then made perhaps the best save of the tournament yet just a few minutes later.

Omar Khribin was played in and found himself one-on-one with an on-rushing Dheeraj, and as the Syrian tried to chip the keeper, Dheeraj clawed the ball away with a brilliant right hand to deny him.

Khribin did have the last laugh, however, as he got his goal in the 61st minute of the game. The forward was found inside the penalty area by Tim Matavz, and this time he smashed the ball home to make it 0-1 to Al Wahda.

Despite a stiff resistance posed by the Gaurs the rest of the way, Al Wahda got their second goal in the 90th minute as captain Mohammed Barqesh Almenhali made the Gaurs pay for a mistake in possession, his shot deflecting off Adil Khan and finding the back of the net.

In the end, the side from the UAE did see out the game comfortably, grabbing the three points and moving up to 13 points in Group E. This should be enough to see them qualify for the round of 16 behind group winners Persepolis FC who finished with 15 points.

As for FC Goa, they finished with 3 points after three fighting draws, and crucially finished third, avoiding the wooden spoon in the group which went to Al Rayyan.

The AFC Champions League was a memorable tournament for FC Goa in the end, and an opportunity for some youngsters to play in the biggest continental competition in Asia, with a performance that proved the Men in Orange can hold their own among the elite.

CREDITS: FC GOA MEDIA

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FC Goa play their final game of their AFC Champions League journey against Al Wahda on Thursday at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The Gaurs sit third in Group E with three points from five games, and will be keen on ending their campaign with a victory.

But standing in front of them is an in-form Al Wahda side, and ahead of this group stage finale, let’s see how the two sides compare in this preview.

Al Wahda

The Emiratis are flying high after some terrific performances in their last few games, and look well placed to qualify for the Round of 16, especially if they pick up all three points against Goa on Thursday.

Al Wahda have accumulated 10 points from their five matches thus far, and sit second in Group E, just two points behind Persepolis FC.

The side from the UAE are hoping to advance as one of the three best runners-up in the tournament, but it won’t be easy, especially with skipper Ismail Matar missing due to suspension.

“It’s the last game for this group and even though the players are tired, I’m really looking forward to this match,” said Head Coach Erik ten Cate ahead of the game. “We’ve been playing in this competition with this bubble for three weeks. It’s not easy but we are managing thanks to the people here in India.”

The experienced coach also mentioned that beating FC Goa will be no easy task and that his side is up for the challenge.

“So we want to win but it will not be an easy game tomorrow as we have a couple of players suspended. It will be hard because FC Goa are still in search of their first win and they will do everything to get the three points.”

FC Goa

FC Goa have opened eyes all around the world owing to their defiant displays in their first ever AFC Champions League campaign, but a win in the tournament still eludes the Gaurs.

The Men in Orange were minutes away from sealing a historic win against Al Rayyan last time out, before conceding a late goal that broke Indian hearts. The spirit remains intact however, and a win against Al Wahda will go a long way in cementing Goa as one of the top debutants in the Champions League.

“Our plan is to be competitive and collect the three points tomorrow,” said head coach Juan Ferrando ahead of the game. “It may not be an easy task considering the recovery of our players but we must keep our concentration and perform.”

A win will be enough to seal third spot in a historical debut season, while a draw or defeat may also be enough, depending on the Persepolis-Al Rayyan result.

“Finishing third in the group of the AFC Champions League is not an easy task. As the head coach I’m proud of what my players and coaching staff have done so far,” Coach Ferrando continued.

“In the end the most important is to take the best decisions on the field tactically and hope that it will play in your favour. The key is staying focused and putting our best team forward.”

Juan Ferrando has been praised for his tactics as well as squad handling this season, and believes his players will stand up and be counted once again.

“These players are mentally strong in managing pressure so I think if I’ve substituted them in a previous match, there is no problem in their performance for the next match. I don’t see my players losing confidence. The target in every match and tomorrow is going to be the same.”

A grand finale on the cards

For all FC Goa fans, seeing their team play their final AFC Champions League match will be special, and a win would be just the icing on the cake during a tough period for India as a whole as the country battles a second wave of COVID19.

Goa will give their all against an Al Wahda side motivated by the lure of Round of 16 of the Champions League, which makes for an exciting contest.

FC Goa’s last Champions League game will be played on Thursday, 29 April with kickoff scheduled at 10:30 PM IST.

CREDITS: FC GOA MEDIA

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A more open game than the tournament opener for Juan Ferrando’s men, the Men In Orange brought about a few moments of brilliance on both sides of the field to eke out the result. However, one would be forgiven to think that they deserved more with Brandon Fernandes hitting the upright and Devendra Murgaokar forcing the Al Wahda keeper into a fantastic save.

The Gaurs named an unchanged eleven from the side that started the first game of the tournament against Al Rayyan, hoping that a similar or better result could follow this time around too.

Once the game began, FC Goa threatened straight away, with Ishan Pandita making contact from a header following a cross from the left flank. His effort though wasn’t the precise one he was looking for. The early signs though were surely positive.

Al Wahda grew into the half, mounting their first big threat in the 23rd minute. Fares Juma headed a corner towards goal, but Dheeraj Singh comfortably held on as Goa absorbed the pressure. Jorge Ortiz fired one from distance five minutes later, but his shot was well over the bar and no trouble for Al Wahda.

The visitors did force a couple of more saves from Dheeraj before the end of the first half, first by Khalil Ibrahim  and then Tim Matavz taking aim from just inside the box only to see Dheeraj come out trump on both occasions to keep it even even-steven heading into the break.

In the second period, it was the Men in Orange who came out with more gusto, and had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the 54th minute of the match. The introduction of Devendra Murgaonkar from the bench made all the difference as his good work finally set up a shot for Brandon Fernandes, but the Goan’s fierce effort struck the post instead of nestling into the bottom corner.

It was a huge let-off for Al Wahda, who took the game to the Gaurs soon after, with Omar Khirbin seeing his header from point blank range saved by Dheeraj in the 66th minute.

FC Goa were in no mood to relent, however, as the impressive Devendra once again wreaked havoc inside the Emirati side’s penalty box, nearly making it 1-0 in the 73rd minute. A lovely ball in from Brandon down the right found the former Salgaocar man, but the effort from his outstretched leg was saved well by Al Wahda goalkeeper Mohamed Al Shamsi.

At the other end, Dheeraj’s heroics continued as he first saved a free kick from opposition captain Ismail Matar in the 78th minute, and then kept out two late efforts in stoppage time.

The young goalkeeper first saved brilliantly from Omar Khirbin in the 90th minute, and was helped out by Seriton Fernandes, who blocked the follow-up shot from Lee Myung-joo. Just four minutes later, Dheeraj punched the air in delight as he once again kept out a header from Omar right at the end, following a sloppy giveaway of possession.

In the end, FC Goa managed to hold on for yet another historic result, and can now boast of an unbeaten start to life in the AFC Champions League.

The Gaurs return to action in the Champions League on Tuesday, 20 April as they take on Iranian giants Persepolis at the Fatorda with kickoff scheduled for 10:30 PM.

CREDITS: FC GOA MEDIA

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As Goa face UAE based Al Rayyan, it will be nothing short of an enthralling encounter as both sides would be vying to gain their first win. The match on Saturday will comprise moments to watch out for, hence FootballCounter takes a look at 5 key players who will have major roles to play in this fixture:

#1 Jorge Ortiz vs Lucas Pimenta-

FC Goa’s Jorge Ortiz will impose a significant threat against Al Wahda. With the absence of Igor Angulo and Alberto Noguera, the responsibility on Ortiz to deliver is much greater than ever.
The Spaniard had a praiseworthy ISL season, contributing six goals and two assists.

Even after being the youngest defender in the team, Lucas Pimenta’s contribution to Al Wahda’s defence is crucial. The 20-year-old has shown his quality in the Arabian Gulf League this year and is ready to give a tough fight to Jorge Ortiz on Saturday!

#2 Edu Bedia vs Omar Khribin-

Edu Bedia, who captained Goa and was one of the most influential midfielders in the ISL will be a player to watch out for. Bedia is a player who can score, assist and defend proficiently, and his versatility has led opponents to go haywire. One of the key contributions by Edu this year was his prolific passing rate, which has also led him to become the player who has completed the most passes in ISL Season 7.

The newest and most dominant midfield player of Al Wahda is Omar Khribin. His stats and offerings to the team have been outstanding; he has scored six times in just eight games. When Omar faces Edu, it remains to be seen who dominates the midfield.

#3 Ivan Gonzalez vs Tim Matavz-

Ivan Gonzalez will have to do the job he is good at, keeping the strikers away from scoring. The 31-year-old has time and again proved his mettle for the Gaurs and is expected to repeat the same against Al Wahda. His main target will be the dangerous Tim Matavz.

The top scorer for his team in the Arabian Gulf League with nine goals in 23 games this season is none other than Tim Matavz. The Slovenian can be a threat to any defence. Expectations will be high for him, to score and secure his team’s first win in the tournament.

#4 Brandon Fernandes vs Khalil Ibrahim Al-Hammadi-

The two attacking midfielders who are good at finding space and helping their team with goals and assists will be a great battle to watch.

Khalil Ibrahim, the captain and playmaker for the visitors, can team up with striker Tim Matavz and create huge issues for the opponent’s defence. He has five goal contributions this season in the domestic league. Whereas Brandon, also a complete team player, can thrash opponents with his perfect touches and passes!

#5 Ishan Pandita vs Fares Juma Al Saadi-

In the absence of their star goal scorer Igor Angulo, FC Goa’s young forward Ishan Pandita will try to step in his shoes. He had a fair season in ISL with four goals in 11 appearances.

But he will have to overcome Al Wahda’s most experienced defender, Fares Juma Al Saadi. The 32-year-old central defender has delivered when required, and he also contributes with goals and assists in addition to his defensive responsibilities.

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