Durand Cup 2021: FC Goa enter quarter-finals with win over Sudeva Delhi FC

Kolkata: FC Goa became the third team to enter the quarter-finals of the 130th Durand Cup football tournament after getting the better of Sudeva Delhi FC 2-1 courtesy goals from Muhammed Nemil and Jorge Ortiz Mendoza here on Monday. William scored from a penalty for Sudeva. The two sides clashed in a Group B encounter at the Salt Lake Stadium. While Goa maintained a 100 percent win record after two games, Sudeva have now gone down in both of theirs and are out of reckoning. The game, played again under heavy underfoot conditions and at times in heavy rain, had to be completed under the lights of the VYBK in the second half. There were no clear cut chances created in the first half of the game although Sudeva did manage to get a couple of half chances. Most of the Goa moves were happening from the right flank with Man of the Match Seriton Fernandez, Romario Jesuraj and Spaniard Alberto Noguera Ripoll combining well. Just when it seemed that the half would end goalless, Nemil (45+2) unleashed a powerful left-footed curler from outside the box in the second and final minute of added time to beat keeper Sachin Jha comprehensively. It was a terrific strike and came from nowhere. Sudeva began the second half on the front foot and was determined to equalise. They did create two chances within the first 10 minutes but could not convert. Coach Chencho Dorji affected the changes for Sudeva in search for an equaliser but the Delhi team suffered yet another setback losing first choice keeper Sachin to injury. FC Goa, on the other hand, were going from strength to strength. In the 63rd minute, Ripoll missed a relatively simple one on one with the Sudeva replacement keeper Legend Singh, hitting straight at him. That would be his last contribution to the game as a minute later Goa gaffer Juan Ferrando Fenoll affected a triple change, bringing in Ripoll’s fellow Spaniards Edu Bedia and Jorge Ortiz Mendoza along with Brison Fernandes to replace him besides Glan Martins and goal scorer Nemil. The change worked as Ortiz scored the second for Goa in the 80th minute with a shot from just outside the box which beat Legend, struck the underside of the crossbar and fell in before coming out. Sudeva did manage a consolation very late in injury time when William Pauliankhum (90+8) converted a spot kick, thanks to a foul by Edu Bedia in the box, but it was too late.