Manvir Singh's last-gasp equaliser earned FC Goa a point from the jaws of defeat against NorthEast United FC, for whom it was a case of two points dropped after it came from behind to lead thanks to goals from Asamoah Gyan and Redeem Tlang in their Indian Super League (ISL 2019-20) clash on Friday.
Sportstar looks at the major talking points from a thriller in Guwahati.
Manvir Singh - the impact substitute
Having started the match on the bench, Manvir's 96th-minute equaliser proved decisive, earning a FC Goa a crucial point. With Goa losing 2-1 and five minutes of stoppage time elapsed, Manvir rose high and beat the NorthEast United goalkeeper Subhasish Roy with a thumping header. Similar to the match against Bengaluru FC, Goa earned itself a point in the dying moments.
Defences disappoint
While both teams were incisive with their attacking play, the defences were at fault for each of the teams' first goal. Hugo Boumous was a beneficiary of a defensive mistake which was compounded by the NorthEast goalkeeper (Roy) rushing off his line, helping the FC Goa attacker slot the ball into an empty goal.
Similarly, Mourtada Fall missed an attempted interception in the lead-up to Asamoah Gyan's equaliser for NorthEast United. Gyan had plenty to do to finish off the chance, though, curling the ball past an outstretched left hand from Mohammad Nawaz in the FC Goa goal.
FC Goa fails to make dominance count
The visitor had more possession (51 per cent), more number of shots (17) and the most shots on target (11), and yet, it might have lost the match but for Manvir's intervention. Ferran Corominas was uncharacteristically wasteful, but it was also an indication of Subhasish's brilliance in the NorthEast United goal, saving nine of the 11 shots he faced on the night.
While it might feel like a point gained in the end, FC Goa's wastefulness nearly cost it the match from a winning position.
Rakesh Pradhan flies under the radar
Left-back Rakesh Pradhan was one of the creative forces for NorthEast United. He created Gyan's equaliser and created two other chances in the match. His tally of three chances created was the joint-most in the match for the home team, along with Martin Chaves, who assisted Redeem Tlang's goal. Defensively, he struggled to contain Jackichand Singh, but with his passing and his attacking endeavour, Rakesh was exceptional on the night.
Comments
SHARE