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FC Goa put in another impressive home performance to beat Pune City 4-2 at the Fatorda Stadium and go top of the table.
The win today puts FC Goa two points clear of NorthEast United FC at the top and makes it three wins on the trot for Sergio Lobera's men.
The goals came early and fast with all six goals being scored in the first half. It was a tough evening for the defences as they had to withstand attack after attack.
Despite chances aplenty for both teams to add to their tallies in the second there were to be no more goals in the second half.
Coro scored a brace for Goa and set up another. Jackichand Singh and Hugo Boumous scored the other two. For Pune, the goals came from their two front-men - Marcelinho and Emiliano Alfaro.
This was Pune's first game after the departure of coach Miguel Portugal and the result leaves them rooted to the bottom of the table, along with Chennaiyin FC, both sides with just 1 point to show so far. Pune are last on an inferior goal difference.
Here's a look at the main talking points from what was an action-packed game:
#1 Five goals inside 25 minutes
If you tuned in to this game like me hoping for some entertainment then you surely weren't disappointed.
FIVE. GOALS. IN. 25 MINUTES. Phew!
The goals just kept coming in the first half of this match. Goa got the goal-fest underway with who else, but Coro. 1-0 in the third minute.
But Marcelinho was having none of it and struck back with a goal of his own. And it was a stunning goal at that. 1-1 inside 10 minutes.
Goa weren't satisfied. Buoyed by their home fans two more goals came inside 20 minutes. 3-1 Goa.
Pune skipper Emiliano Alfaro then powered a shot past Mohammad Nawaz in the 23rd minute. 3-2 Goa.
There was to be one more goal to round off a breathtaking first goal. A 6-goal first half book-ended by goals from Coro. What a half!
Pune could have scored twice more - Jonathan Vila missed an easy effort a few feet away from goal, Ahmed Jahouh throwing himself at the ball to block the shot and Marcelinho struck the crossbar in the dying minutes of the half.
It was tough to keep track of proceedings after a while!
#2 Reddy makes changes to the backline
FC Pune City's dreadful start to the season cost their head coach Miguel Angel Portugal his job. Technical Director Pradhyum Reddy took charge for this game and there were some changes seen in the playing XI too.
Not happy with the way Pune's defence had been faring, Reddy made three changes in defence from the last game.
Matt Mills was the only one to keep his place – out went Sarthak Golui, Martin Diaz and Sahil Panwar and in their places came Ashutosh Mehta, Gurtej Singh and Lalchhuanmawia Fanai.
For Gurtej and Ashutosh it was their first starts of the season while for Fanai it was a return to the eleven after he started the first two games.
The changes though had little impact; Goa were able to get through Pune’s backline with ease especially down the flanks.
The Pune defence wasn’t able to exert any pressure on Goa’s players when they had the ball and as a result it was too convenient for the home team to exert their influence.
While Goa scored four times, in truth they could have scored plenty more.
#3 Nawaz redeems himself with penalty save
Pune's second goal of the game, scored by their captain Alfaro while a powerful shot had a helping hand from Goa's young keeper Nawaz.
The shot came at pace towards Nawaz from the right at the near post, an area where goalkeepers are expected to save the effort. But Nawaz's attempt at blocking the shot was feeble and the ball ended up nestling in the net.
However, the teenager redeemed himself with a superb save in the second half to deny Alfaro from the penalty spot.
Pune were awarded a penalty in the 53rd minute after a foul on Alfaro. The Uruguayan stepped up himself to take the kick, but his well-struck effort was brilliantly saved by Nawaz diving full stretch to his right.
The save was crucial for Pune had started the brighter of the two sides in the second half and had they reduced the deficit to just one, the game could have turned out differently.
#4 Jacki and Jahouh run Pune ragged
Jackichand Singh and Ahmed Jahouh were simply brilliant in this game.
Jahouh's incisive passing and ball possession from midfield complemented by Jackichand's relentless running dragged Pune's defenders all across the pitch.
Jahouh provided the exquisite ball over the defence for Coro's opener. The second Goa goal was a thing of beauty - Jacki's running with the ball from the left to the middle created a huge opening which Boumous and Coro took advantage of.
Jacki was on hand to tap in Coro's pass for the third goal and for the fourth he returned the favour by setting it up on a platter for the Goa striker with a darting run down the left, once again off a ball over the defence from the Moroccan Jahouh.
Pune found the duo just too much to handle - the pace of Jacki and the passing of Jahouh central today to Goa's big win over the Stallions.
#5 Diego Carlos disgraces himself and is sent off, Coro joins him
Diego Carlos came on in the 65th minute for FC Pune City but left unceremoniously before the final whistle could blow.
A straight red by referee Pranjal Banerjee was shown to Carlos for an absolutely shocking and disgraceful stomp on Seriton Fernandes.
The Brazilian allowed his frustration to get the better of him and responded with a clear, malicious high stamp on Seriton's leg. It could have been really bad, but thankfully for Seriton, there was no long-lasting damage.
The match ended with 10 men on both sides however as Pranjal Banerjee produced a second red card, this time for Coro, for a high studs up charge on Marko Stankovic.
Carlos' dismissal just made things worse for Pune. A third straight loss notwithstanding they will now be short of a key foreign player for a few games with the disciplinary council likely to impose further punishment based on the severity of Carlos' challenge.
For Goa too, Coro's loss could be telling. They've been in great form to start this season, but Coro's their focal point and one of the best strikers in the league. He's got 6 of their 14 goals.
