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Hyderabad FC cemented their spot at the top of the Indian Super League standings with a resilient victory over struggling FC Goa. They came out 3-2 victors at the Athletic Stadium on Saturday night.
The Nizams were aided by a brace from Bartholomew Ogbeche and a shambolic display from FCG shot-stopper Dheeraj Singh.
FC Goa started out the first half with their usual swagger, dominating possession and winning the midfield. Early on in the game, Jorge Ortiz found himself one-on-one with the Hyderabad FC goalkeeper after getting on the end of a lobbed pass. However, Kattimani was quick off his line and closed down Ortiz.
But as the minutes rolled down, Hyderabad FC got back into the game with their occasional breaks. In the 25th minute, the Nizams, against the run of play, took the lead through the ever-reliant Bartholomew Ogbeche. Asish Rai found the ball on the left flank and darted in a loopy cross for the Nigerian. He leaped the highest at the far post and tucked it home.
However, Derrick Pereira's men responded almost immediately and restored parity within 10 minutes. Ortiz was yet again set up by a delightful lofted ball from Alberto Noguera. The forward did well to calmly place it past the on-rushing keeper.
But the first half had one final twist left. Hyderabad FC and Bart Ogbeche weren't done yet. The Nigerian forward received the ball in midfield and went past a couple of defenders to make space for a shot. He pulled the trigger from outside the box. Keeper Dheeraj Singh dived to his left but only managed to push the ball into the back of his own net. All of the Gaurs' efforts to find an equalizer were nullified just like that.
Clinical Hyderabad FC wipe off FC Goa's top-four hopes
Coming out after the break, FCG head coach Derrick Pereira opted to replace Saviour Gama with Sanson Pereira. Both teams looked nervy and played out a cagey affair in the initial minutes. Hyderabad FC were more than happy to allow the Gaurs the wealth of possession.
However, right at the 70th-minute mark, Hyderabad FC doubled their lead through Joao Victor. Ogbeche brought the ball down in the center of the park and laid it off for the HFC skipper, who lashed it from a distance. The shot took a wicked deflection from a Goa defender and looped over Dheeraj into the net.
Down two goals now, the Gaurs immediately upped the ante and cut the deficit into half three minutes later. Brandon Fernandes got the ball on the right flank and whipped in a cross into the box. Devendra Murgaonkar, who was patiently waiting in the box, leaped high and headed it home to make the score 3-2.
In the final moments of the game, there was some more sparring between the two teams without either of them affecting the scorelines.
After their first-ever victory against FC Goa, Hyderabad FC already have a foot in the semi-finals with 32 points from 17 games. Meanwhile, FC Goa, who went down fighting tonight, are out of the top-four race.
