Welcome to the highlights of the AFC Champions League Group E fixture between FC Goa and Al Wahda from the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa.
It was always going to be an uphill task for Goa, without its overseas players tonight and it turned to be just that. After managing to keep a stalemate at the end of the first 45 minutes, they went behind immediately at the start of the second half, courtesy Khribin.
Then, in the dying minutes of regulation time, a deflected shot found its way into the back of the net via Mohamed Barquesh's foot to make it 2-0 and seal the game for the UAE side.
That ends Goa's campaign, which began so promisingly, but ends on a whimper. It also ends our coverage for tonight's match. Until next time, its goodbye and stay safe.
Thats the end of that. Goa ends its campaign with a 2-0 loss to Al Wahda.
3 minutes of added time.
90' GOAL!! Al Wahda goes 2-0 up. Barquesh nets the ball in, albeit via a deflection.
85' Goa trying to create something from the right via Glan Martins, but the Al Wahda players are there to prevent it from happening.
Amarjit, who had struggled for a bit in the first half, is down again. The physios are out to have a look and from the looks of it, he is good to continue.
79' Khalil puts in the cross from the dominant right-hand side, but the ball is blocked away.
Time for a drinks break.
Yet another change for Goa as Phranki Buam comes on for Alexander Romario Jesuraj.
72' Almost 2-0 there for Al Wahda but Naveen manages to save the ball and prevent it from happening.
Into the final 20 minutes of regulation time. Goa needs a moment of magic to get something out of this match.
Goa is making a third change as well as Makan Chote comes on for Pereira.
68' Dheeraj is once again down and is in no position to continue. Naveen Kumar will come in his place.
66' Al Wahda has preferred to keep possession and not tried to try and do anything advenerous since that.
61' GOAL! Khribin gives Al Wahda the lead, thanks to with a lovely ball from Matvaz. Khribin controls the ball, he is unmarked and fires it past Dheeraj's left-hand side to help Al Wahda go in front.
55' Dheeraj has collided with Sanson Pereira and is looking in some pain. Meanwhile, Goa makes its first change: Saviour Gama comes on for Redeem Tlang. Dheeraj is okay to continue.
51' What a save from Dheeraj yet again. The ball comes in from near the box once again and the Indian saves the shot from a close range to prevent Goa from conceding.
48 ' Ibrahim goes for goal from a wide angle, but Dheeraj bends on one knee and saves it.
46' Al Wahda has begun on the front foot straight away as a shot from Lee is saved by Dheeraj, towards his left-hand side.
WELCOME BACK!
Goa will be disappointed at the end of those 45 minutes. No clear cut chances to speak of, even though defensively they have looked sharp to block out whatever Al Wahda has thrown its way and there has been quite a lot of it, especially through corners and sprints down the right hand side.
Join us in a bit for the second half.
Half-time: FC Goa 0 Al Wahda 0
3 minutes of time added to the clock, to close this half.
41' Another corner for Al Wahda. But it goes to waste once again.
Looks like Brandon is injured. Just walked off the pitch.
Free kick for Goa. Brandon takes it, Alshamsi comes forward and punches the ball, and Martins takes a shot but it smacks the Al Wahda defence.
35' Adil brings down Matavz and it is a free kick for Al Wahda. Esmaeel has another go at it, but the shot lacks precision and goes out of play.
Time for a drinks break.
31' WHAT A CHANCE FOR AL WAHDA. Matavz receives the ball from the middle of the pitch, but he strikes the ball high, above Dheeraj and it misses the goal.
28' Al Wahda has really attacked the right hand side of the pitch today. It started yet another attack and almost resulted in a goal as a Khribin header was saved by Dheeraj.
24' More positive play from Al Wahda, once again down the right hand side and it takes a strong Goan tackle for the ball to go out of play.
21' Martins brings down Matavz and Al Wahda gets a free kick from a favourable position. Esmaael takes it, strikes it towards Dheeraj's right, but the ball is well wide of the goalkeeper.
17' Corner for Al Wahda. The opportunity is wasted and and even Goa can't capitalise on a possible counter attacking chance.
Looks like Amarajit has pulled up because of injury. We may see the first Goa change soon.
14' Khirbin gets a fine ball in from the right,he goes forward with but Adil is there to put the tackle and clear the ball away. The resulting corner for Al Wahda sees a low shot towards Dheeraj, who saves it easily.
FREE KICK for Goa. Brandon takes it, Khribin rises and clears it away.
9' The first set piece opportunity comes in, in the form of a corner for Al Wahda. But nothing significant comes from it.
7' Khalil Abrahim takes the shot, but it is blocked out. It is a game that has lacked a bit of intensity so far, hopefully it picks up from here.
4' It is the UAE side with the large chunk of the possession in the early stages of this match.
2' Early possession for Al Wahda. Lee puts in a ball from the right, the shot is taken but it lacks precision.
HERE WE GO!
The teams are walking out to the middle. FC Goa in its orange kit. Al Wahda in its blue kit.
15 minutes for kick-off. FC Goa goes into the game, third on the table. Al Wahda is second.
In the absence of Juan Ferrando, Clifford Miranda will be the manager for FC Goa in tonight's fixture.
Just 30 minutes to go for the start of the game.
With India’s coronavirus numbers on a rapid upward curve, the FC Goa management decided to allow its foreign recruits, including its manager Juan Ferrando, to leave the country before the last game. It now means that Goa will field an all-Indian team in its last game against Al Wahda.
Read more about that here: FC Goa's head coach Juan Ferrando, foreign contingent leave India amid COVID spike
Preview
FC Goa came very close to winning its first ever match at the AFC Champions League on Monday.
It has another chance to break the duck on Thursday. Read the preview here: AFC Champions League 2021: FC Goa seeks maiden win against Al Wahda
With both Ivan Gonzalez and James Donachie unavailable for FC Goa, the replacement at defensive positions are Aibanbha Dohling and Adil Khan. Redeem Tlang and Amarjit Singh Kiyam come in for Edu Bedia and Jorge Ortiz, from the last game.
Here are the starting XIs:
FC Goa: Dheeraj Singh; Sanson Periera, Adil Khan, Aibhanbha Dohling, Seriton Fernandes (C); Amarjit Singh Kiyam, Glan Martins, Brandon Fernandes, Alexander Romario Jesuraj, Redeem Tlang; Ishan Pandita
Al Wahda: Mohamed AlShamsi; Mohamed Barquesh, Lucas Pimenta, Ahmed Rashid, Fares Jumaa; Khalil Ibrahim, Khalis Esmaeel, Lee Myung-Joo, Abdulla Hamad; Tim Matarvz, Omar Khrbin.
Al Wahda- An overview
The club was formed in 1984 in Abu Dhabi when the two clubs, Abu Dhabi SC and Al-Emirates SC merged to form one club.
The team plays in the UAE Pro League and was unbeaten in seven AFC Champions League games before its defeat to Persepolis FC on Wednesday.
The club has four Pro League titles, the last of which came in the 2009–10 season along with winning two President’s Cups, three Federation Cups and 2 UAE League Cups.
Managed by Dutchman Henk Ten Cate who was European experience under his belt at Barcelona, Chelsea and Ajax at different capacities, his team is currently eighth in the UAE Pro League table with 35 points from 23 games.
Squad: Goalkeepers: Rashed Ali, Mohamed Al Shamsi, Sultan Bilal, Hazaa Ammar
Defenders: Mansour Saleh, Fahad Khamis, Mohamed Adel, Manea Aydh, Mohamed Mesarri, Lucas Pimenta, Fares Juma, Alaedinne Zouhir (CBs), Gian, Ahmed Rashid, Ruben Amarel (LBs), Mohamed Al Menhali, Abdullah Al Karbi, Manei Mohamed (RBs)
Midfielders: Nahyan Adel, Abdulla Ahmed, Rashed Muhayer, Abdulla Hamed (DMs), Myung-joo Lee, Nicolas Milesi, Khamis Esmaeel, Ahmed Al Akberi (CMs), Mansoor Al-Harbi, Khali Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Ahmed Ali Haberi, Tahnoon Alzaabi (CAM), Abdulla Anwar, Mansoor Saeed, Awadh Mohamed,
Forwards: Paul Jose Mpoku, Luvannor, Ismail Matar, Tim Matavz, Omar Khribin, Joao Marcos
Key Players: Khalil Ibrahim Al-Hammadi, Tim Matavz, Ismail Matar, Omar Khribin
Manager: Henk ten Cate
FC Goa’s full squad for the AFC Champions League
Goalkeepers: Mohammad Nawaz, Naveen Kumar, Shubham Dhas, Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem
Defenders: Sanson Pereira, Seriton Fernandes, Leander D’Cunha, Ivan Gonzalez (Spain), Mohamed Ali, James Donachie (Australia), Aibanbha Dohling, Saviour Gama, Adil Khan
Midfielders: Edu Bedia (Spain), Glan Martins, Princeton Rebello, Brandon Fernandes, Phrangki Buam, Redeem Tlang, Makan Winkle Chothe, Alexander Romario Jesuraj, Amarjit Singh Kiyam, Romeo Fernandes
Forwards: Jorge Ortiz , Devendra Murgaonkar, Ishan Pandita.
Coach: Juan Ferrando
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