FC Goa secured a 2-1 victory over Odisha FC in the Indian Super League 2024-25 on Thursday at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa. With this win, FC Goa moved up to second place in the standings with 36 points, surpassing Jamshedpur FC, who have 34 points.

Early Miss for Odisha FC

Odisha FC had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the 28th minute. Ahmed Jahouh, playing his 150th ISL match, took a free-kick that was perfectly struck. However, his shot hit the crossbar, denying Odisha a chance to go ahead.

FC Goa Takes Control

Almost immediately after Odisha's missed opportunity, FC Goa took advantage. Carl McHugh played a well-timed pass to Borja Herrera, who then assisted Brison Fernandes. Brison finished with a quick shot into the bottom right corner, giving FC Goa a 1-0 lead in the 29th minute.

Penalty Save Keeps FC Goa Ahead

In the 38th minute, Odisha FC earned a penalty when Diego Mauricio was fouled in the box by Aakash Sangwan. Mauricio stepped up to take the shot but was denied by FC Goa’s goalkeeper, Hrithik Tiwari, who made a fantastic save diving to his right. This kept FC Goa’s lead intact heading into the break.

Second Half: FC Goa Extends Lead

FC Goa continued to press forward in the second half. In the 54th minute, after a free-kick by Iker Guarrotxena, Herrera sent a long ball into the box. The clearance attempt by Sandesh Jhingan fell straight to Brison Fernandes, who fired a powerful shot that deflected off Odisha's Lalthathanga Khawlhring for an own goal. This gave FC Goa a 2-0 advantage.

Odisha FC's Response and Setback

Odisha FC fought back in the 54th minute. Hugo Boumous delivered an excellent through ball to Rahul KP, who calmly finished into the bottom left corner, pulling Odisha back into the game at 2-1. Despite this, Odisha struggled to create further chances. In the 73rd minute, they were reduced to 10 men when Jahouh was shown a second yellow card for a handball, leaving them a man down for the remainder of the match.

FC Goa Holds Firm

With the numerical advantage, FC Goa tightened their defense and saw out the match. Odisha FC was unable to break through, and FC Goa secured their 10th win of the season.

Key Performer of the Match

Brison Fernandes completed 27 of 32 passes, intercepted the ball once, created three goal-scoring opportunities, and scored one goal.

Upcoming Fixtures

Looking ahead, FC Goa will play Mumbai City FC on February 12, while Odisha FC will face Punjab FC on February 10.