Durand Cup: FC Goa see off Downtown Heroes 3-0 to enter knockouts

Guwahati: FC Goa notched up a 3-0 win over Downtown Heroes FC in their final group stage game to cement their spot in the knockout stages of the Durand Cup on Wednesday. Goals by Muhammed Nemil, Carlos Martinez and Devendra Murgaokar helped the Men in Orange wrap up their Durand Cup group stage campaign with a win. FC Goa coach Gouramangi Singh made as many as six changes to the playing XI that started in the recent drawn encounter against NorthEast United. The opening goal of the match came in the 19th minute, and it was a moment of sheer brilliance from Muhammed Nemil that set the tone for the Gaurs’ dominance. Martinez orchestrated the play, deftly laying the ball off for Nemil with a cheeky backheel flick, and the 21-year-old, with a burst of pace and precision, advanced towards the goal and unleashed a thunderous strike from over 30 yards out. The ball rocketed into the top corner of the net, rendering the Downtown Heroes goalkeeper helpless. FC Goa continued to press forward, showcasing their attacking intent and fluid passing. Their efforts were rewarded once again in the 42nd minute, this time with Carlos Martinez making his mark on the scoresheet. Following the change of ends, Downtown Heroes adopted a more physical approach to try and come back into the contest. FC Goa, however, continued to create chances at will and should have added a third in the 72nd minute, when Noah Sadaoui found Martinez with a well-timed cross from the left. The Spanish forward, however, fired his attempt over the bar. Finally, Devendra Murgaokar, who came on in the second half replacing Martinez, added the finishing touches for his team when he snatched the ball from the opposition goalkeeper and slotted home from close range in the last minute of stoppage time. East Bengal qualify for knockouts Spain’s Javier Siverio produced the solitary goal as East Bengal beat Punjab FC 1-0 in the final Group A game to qualify for the knockout stages. Siverio got the all-important goal in the 22nd minute as East Bengal became the second team after Chennaiyin FC to make the quarter-final stage of Asia’s oldest football tournament, courtesy topping the group with seven points from three games. It was a professional performance by the home side as despite severe pressure applied by Punjab for the equaliser, they did not succumb. PFC’s Greek coach Staikos Vergetis made seven changes to the playing 11 that started against the Bangladesh Army in the previous game, while EB’s Spanish coach Carles Cuadrat made only one, bringing in Nishu Kumar for Mandar Rao Desai. However, their attacking style was similar with both leaving one striker upfront and two wingers in support. Spanish winger Juan Mera, playing against his former club, took the first punt at goal inside five minutes, but his shot from range was saved by keeper Prabhsukhan Gill, who once again had a great day under the bar with two consecutive clean sheets now. After the initial sparring, EB’s Australian defender Jordan Elsey came close at the 20-minute mark with a header off a set-piece. It was well worked out by Borja Herrera and Nandhakumar, but the effort was deflected out by the PFC defence. The goal came off the resulting corner as Naorem Mahesh Singh worked it short with Borja, who then floated it in beautifully for Javier Siverio to leap the highest and direct his header away from keeper Kiran Limbu’s reach and into the net. The Spaniard nearly doubled the lead in the 40th minute when he connected with another header and beat Kiran again, but the ball hit the woodwork and came back. Just before the break, Brandon did get a golden opportunity to equalise, but his effort was too weak to bother Prabhsukhan. So did Juan Mera at the stroke of half-time with a direct free-kick in the danger zone just outside the box, but his effort too was way over.