ACL2: 10-man FC Goa fall short against Al Zawraa in Baghdad | Goa News
Another continental game, another defeat, in a clash where FC Goa started on a promising note but ended with nothing.Reduced to ten men in the 34th minute with Ayush Chhetri sent off, Goa were handed their fifth successive defeat in the AFC Champions League Two by Al Zawraa SC as the hosts finished 2-1 in a group D fixture at the Al Zawraa Stadium on Wednesday.When the two teams met in their opening group fixture at Fatorda, Goa matched the Iraq side for long spells, but lacked the experience of playing in continental competitions. Errors creeped in, and Al Zawraa grabbed all three points, scoring goals late in either half.In Baghdad, Goa had a brighter start, but goals in either half from Kadhim Raad (‘38) and Hasan Abdulkareem (’65) helped Al Zawraa to second place on the table, and now a point away from qualification.Goa’s only goal came in the 51st minute when Dhurgham Ismail turned the ball into his own goal as the visitors played with ten players for more than an hour after Ayush was sent off for a second bookable offence.A penalty, which television replays showed as soft, was also awarded to Al Zawraa for Ayush’s foul inside the box. Ibrahim Gbadamosi stepped up, sent the keeper the wrong way, but his tame effort struck the left post and rolled out of play.Despite a larger share of the ball, the home side’s attackers seemed unable to get their game together and failed to trouble Goa goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari, whose backline was on the job every time Al Zawraa threatened for the first half an hour.Goa coach Manolo Marquez started with just four foreigners as Spanish striker Javier Siverio was left on the bench, while experienced midfielder David Timor remained suspended.Early in the game, Akaash Sangwan and Dejan Drazic did well to move the ball on the left and Goa created an opportunity in the first minute itself, though Drazic’s ball to Borja Herrera was blocked close to goal.A few minutes later, Ayush’s dangerous cross led to timely interception from the Al Zawraa defence.The sending off of Ayush made it even more difficult for Goa.Al Zawraa missed a penalty but were not to be denied a second time, as Raad snuck in at the far post to connect with Hassan Sayyid’s corner kick and head home.Goa drew level six minutes after the break in a most unlikely manner when defender Ismail, under pressure from Pol Moreno, turned the ball into his own net, following a set-piece by Borja.Hrithik was impressive as he pulled off a superb fingertip save from Nizar Al Rashdan’s 20-yard strike in the 64th minute but could only watch a minute later as Abdulkareem cut down the right to the centre and sent a stinging shot that deflected off Goa captain Sandesh Jhingan’s outstretched boot and into the bottom left.Hrithik was in fine form as he prevented two certain goals in the closing minutes, palming away another blistering strike from Abdulkareem in the 81st minute and then producing a brilliant save from Al Rashdan’s equally ferocious effort two minutes later.
