Atletico de Goa dented the pride and proficiency of FC Goa by tormenting the latter with a 4-0 scoreline in the Hero ISL fixture here at the Salt Lake Stadium on Sunday. Young South African winger Sameehg Doutie caused the maximum damage, scoring once in each half, while Spaniard Borja Fernandes and Canadian Iain Hume found the target once each to complete the biggest win in ISL 2015 for the host.
Doutie was the real hero of the match as he figured in all the four goals that helped Kolkata bring down an in-form FC Goa team which recorded a 7-0 win over Mumbai City FC in the previous match. The win took ATK to the top of the table with 20 points from 12 matches while Goa remained in the second spot with 18 points from 11 matches.
Two flashes of brilliance midway in the first half defined the dominance of ATK, which found the lead and its extension in the 20th and 22nd minutes. Doutie, who has confirmed his position in the home attack with a series of consistent performances in the last few rounds, showed his knack for goal fetching the lead with a nice finish. The nippy South African winger collected a pass from ATK play-maker Jamie Gavilan and shot home before the opposition defender and Brazilian World Cup winner Lucio could block his attempt.
Borja Fernandes, relegated mostly to a protective role in the ATK midfield, made a calculated outing from his post to reach a back-pass. The Spaniard, who last scored in the first match of the inaugural season, found the top of the Goa net with rasping right-footer, which gave opposition goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani no chance.
Decision to preserve the shape of the team proved right for ATK coach Antonio Habas, who made only a couple of changes to the side that had prevailed over Chennaiyin FC at the same venue. Brining back the reliable Ofentse Nato for Valdo in the midfield, Habas also played the local boy Mohammad Rafique for Izumi Arata in the starting line-up. After Goa made a couple of counter-offensives through Dudu Omagbemi the first 10 minutes, ATK took charge with Gavilan, Hume and Doutie showing excellent co-ordination in the attacking-third of the field.
Goa’s Legendary coach Zico, who planned his defence around the experienced Lucio, was out-foxed by the effective passing game of ATK. The change of ends did not change the fortunes of the visitors, who struggled to contain the efficiency of Doutie and Gavilan in the centre. Doutie was again influential for the third goal, when he was stopped unlawfully inside the Goa box by defender Nicolau Colaco. The resultant penalty, in the 66th minute, was sent home from the spot by Hume, who scored his sixth goal of the tournament. ATK completed its dominance in the 78th minute when Doutie received a long ball from Nato and cleared a cordon of three Goa defenders, including Lucio, to round off a fantastic goal.
The result: Atletico de Kolkata 4 (Sameehg Doutie 20, 78, Borja Fernandes 22, Iain Hume 66 (pen)) bt FC Goa 0.
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