Late equaliser by Nizams denies Gaurs victory, remain in third position
FATORDA
FC Goa and Hyderabad FC played out a thrilling 1-1 draw in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa.
A late equaliser from Hyderabad FC dashed the Gaurs’ hopes of climbing to second place in the league table.
The fiery encounter, which also featured two red cards and numerous near-misses, ended in a 1-1 stalemate, leaving the home side with mixed emotions as their unbeaten streak extended to nine games.
Earlier in the day, FC Goa head coach Manolo Marquez made four changes to his starting XI from last week’s win over Odisha FC. The absence of Odei Onaindia, suspended due to yellow card accumulation, marked his first missed game for the Gaurs since joining the Club last summer. Carl McHugh stepped into the defence, allowing Ayush Chhetri to reclaim his midfield role, while Dejan Drazic and Armando Sadiku returned to lead the attack.
The match started brightly for FC Goa, with striker Armando Sadiku coming close to scoring in the 5th minute. His clever back-heel effort hit the post after a deflected shot by Mohammad Yasir. Sadiku missed another golden chance in the 27th minute when Brison Fernandes set him up with an open net, but Hyderabad’s defense managed to block his shot.
After several missed opportunities, Sadiku finally broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute. A well-timed cross from Boris Singh was headed into the danger area by Dejan Drazic, and Sadiku volleyed the ball into the top corner to give FC Goa the lead.
The match turned intense as tempers flared. Goa’s Borja Herrera received a straight red card in the 59th minute after a clash with Hyderabad’s Alex Saji. Just 13 minutes later, Saji himself was sent off for a second yellow card after fouling Sadiku.
Despite being down to 10 players, Hyderabad FC kept pushing for an equalizer. Goa’s goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari made a brilliant save to deny Allan Paulista’s header in the 81st minute. However, in added time, Isaac Vanmalsawma delivered a pinpoint cross to Paulista, who slotted the ball into the bottom corner to secure a point for Hyderabad.
The result keeps FC Goa in third place with 26 points from 14 matches, while Hyderabad FC earned their third draw of the season. FC Goa will face NorthEast United in their next match as they aim to regain momentum.
