Manuel Lanzarote struck twice as FC Goa notched up a dominating 5-1 win over ATK and inched closer to a semifinal spot in the Indian Super league (ISL) at the Nehru Stadium here on Wednesday.
It was FC Goa’s first ever win over ATK as the host dominated most part of the match with Sergio Juste Marin (10th), Lanzarote (15th and 21st), Ferran Corominas Telechea (64th) and substitute Mark Sifneos (90th) sounding the board for the side.
Goa thus took its tally to 27 points from 17 matches, one point ahead of Jamshedpur FC, against whom it will play in its last league match on March 4.
A draw will take Goa to the semifinal as it will finish fourth with 28 points, while Jamshedpur who too is in the race for the knock out round need to win against the Goan side.
ATK, which remained on ninth place with 13 points from 17 matches, came back strongly in the last quarter to pull one back through Robert Keane in the 87th minute but it was too little too late.
Both the teams made two changes from their last match. Prabir Das and Rupert Nongrum replaced Keegan Pereira and Ryan Taylor for Ashley Westwood’s side, while Mohammed Ali and Ahmed Jahouh made way for Chinglensana Singh and Edu Bedia for Goa.
Bengaluru FC, Pune City and Chennaiyin FC have already qualified for the semifinals and the last spot is a fight between Goa, Kerala Blasters and Jamshedpur.
Goa started cautiously and allowed its rival to do the probing. It suddenly shifted gears with Lanzarote making solo run on the right as he sent a perfect cross but there was no one to connect it.
The ball came to Hugo Boumous whose shot at the goal got deflected by a rival defender and went for a corner which resulted in a goal.
Boumous, who took the flag kick from the left flank, lobbed the ball into the box for Sergio who outsmarted his marker, leaped high and send the ball into the net with a glancing header in the 10th minute.
The goal spurred Goa and there was no looking back as it mounted pressure and increased the lead five minutes latter. Mandar Desai, who cut in from the left flank went past Prabir and attempted a shot at the goal. Soram somehow kept the ball away from the goal but Lanzarote slotted it home from the rebound.
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ATK defence fell apart after the goal and Lanzarote scored his second goal of the night and third for his team. Pronay Halder sent a long ball for Lanzarote, who entered the box, went past Anwar Ali and unleashed a shot that found the back of the net in the 21st minute.
ATK was kept on its toes with Mandar and Lanzarote launching attack from the flanks. They kept the ball among themselves and nearly scored the fourth goal but Coro’s shot from inside the box off Lanzarote’s cross from the left went straight into the hands of rival keeper Soram Anganba.
ATK came with a counter move just before half time and Ashutosh Mehta had a golden opportunity to pull one back with an open goal infront of him but he shot over the bar to have Goa leading 3-0 at half time.
Goa continued in the same fashion and Coro swelled the lead when he curled the ball from the top of the box to find the far corner of the net in the 64th minute from a free kick.
ATK showed fighting spirit in the dying minute and pulled one back in the 87th minute through Keane before substitute Mark Sifneos rounded off the tally for the home team with another goal in the 90th minute.
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