Goa: Chennaiyin FC went down 1-4 against FC Goal in their final league stage game of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao on Sunday.
Carlos Martinez (38th, 72nd), Borja Herrera (33rd) and Bruno Fernandes (45+3) netted the goals for the winning side, while Rahim Ali (13th) scored the only goal for Chennaiyin FC.
The away team made a bright start after head coach Owen Coyle made eight changes to the starting 11 of the match. Ali received the ball from Ninthoinganba Meetei inside the 18-yard box in the 14th minute and beat the goalkeeper with a powerful right-footed shot to give Chennaiyin an early lead.
Three minutes later, Irfan Yadwad found himself at the centre of the action as he attempted a header towards the goal from Connor Shields’ cross, only to hit the crossbar.
FC Goa scored the equaliser in the 33rd minute when Herrera found the bottom left corner of the goal with a left-footed shot from very close range. Sachu Siby received a red card for a foul on Boris Singh inside the box before Martinez converted the penalty into the goal with a shot to the bottom left corner in the 38th minute of the match.
Midfielder Brandon Fernandes received the ball from Noah Sadaoui in the injury time of the first half and put it into the goal, increasing the lead of the home team.
The second half began positively for FC Goa as they controlled more possession and moved the ball around to frustrate the Chennaiyin players. The strategy paid off in the 72nd minute when Martinez scored with a right-footed shot after receiving the ball from Udanta Singh and finding the back of the net.
Chennaiyin forward Jordan Murray was on target in the 80th minute before right-back Bikash Yumnam a fine block off the line to prevent Goa from increasing their lead.
–IANS
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