Sergio Lobera's substitution of Manvir Singh for Sieminlen Doungel helped FC Goa return to winning ways with a 1-0 win against Hyderabad at the Gachibowli Stadium on Sunday. The result lifted FC Goa to third with 12 points, while Hyderabad remains bottom.
Sportstar looks at the key aspects of the match.
Manvir Singh makes the difference for profligate Goa
FC Goa needed Manvir Singh's 68th-minute header to beat Hyderabad FC despite being the dominant side and having 17 attempts on goal. Hugo Boumous, in particular, had the better chances to score in either half, while Sieminlen Doungel also failed to take his chances from close range. Last season's run-up would have rued its wastefulness had Manvir not scored with his third attempt, heading in Brandon Fernandes's corner.
Is Hyderabad over-reliant on Marcelinho?
Marcelinho was not just a creative force for Hyderabad but had the most attempts on goal and was the only player who gave the impression he could score from a set-play or open play. Two minutes into the match, his corner found Rafael Lopez inside the six-yard box and the central defender should have scored with his header. In the second half, he tested Mohammad Nawaz from a free-kick 30 yards out and was a constant threat with his chance creation and his shots from distance. Approaching the halfway mark in the season, Hyderabad appears to be reliant on Marcelinho.
More indiscipline from FC Goa
On a night when two of FC Goa's most influential players returned from suspensions, two players needlessly forced the referee's hand to show the yellow card. Hugo Boumous and Chinglensana Singh were booked for dissent, while two other players were yellow carded for fouls.
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