FC Goa on Wednesday beat Oman champions Al-Seeb 2-1 in their one-match AFC Champions League 2 preliminary stage to go through to the group stage of the continental tournament. The result comes amid crippling uncertainty for Goa and other clubs playing in the Indian Super League (ISL) with the league’s existence up in the air. It is also a bit of a redemption for head coach Manolo Marquez, for whom this was the first competitive match since his rather forgettable tenure as India’s head coach ended.
Dejan Dražić and Javier Siverio scored for FC Goa as they managed to keep out some spirited attacks from Al-Seeb towards the end of both the halves. Goa will now discover their group stage opponents on Friday.
Marquez had said before the match that he doesn’t have any thoughts of redemption in mind and that this night was all about the club’s mission to make it to the group stage of the Champions League 2, which is the second tier continental competition for Asian teams. India will be hence be represented by two clubs in the tournament this season, with Mohun Bagan Super Giant having already qualified for the group stage after winning the ISL last season. Goa had qualified for the preliminary stage after winning the Super Cup.
Al Seeb started aggressively, with Nasser Al Rawahi forcing defender Pol Moreno into an acrobatic clearance in just the second minute of the match. Zahir Al Aghbari’s follow-up from inside the box was blocked.
Goa didn’t take long to take the attack to the opposition though, with Drazic breaking free on the left in the ninth but but with only the keeper to beat, the midfielder’s soft shot was easily collected by Ahmed Al Rawahi.
Al Rawahi was in the thick of things again for Al Seeb in the 23rd minute when his timely tackle opened up space to set up Abdul Aziz Al Muqbali, whose curling effort was parried away by FC Goa keeper Hrithik Tiwari. The Al Seeb goalkeeper, however, was found wanting more often than not in crucial moments, which ultimately costed the Oman champions a place in the ACL 2.
Goa took the lead when Borja Herrera’s instinctive long pass found Dražic on the left. The midfielder evaded Al Rawahi’s challenge before delicately chipping the ball over Ahmed Al Khamisi and into the back of the net. Goa sat further and further back into their own half as the first 45 minutes progressed and were probably a little relieved to hear the half-time whistle. Al-Seeb were especially miffed as a penalty that they had received in the dying stages of the first half was overturned when the linesman told the referee that the hand ball, which triggered the decision had happened outside the box. Replays indicated that this may have been an erroneous call.
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The ISL side were dominant in the opening minutes of the second half and they eventually had a goal to show. Herrera’s cross off a corner floated into the box perfectly for Siverio to rise above Al Rawahi for a headed finish.
Al Seeb, the 2022 AFC Cup winners, reduced the deficit at the hour mark through Nasser Al Rawahi’s strike from close range off Ali Al Busaidi’s cutback, but that was to be it as FC Goa became the second Indian side to book their spot in this season’s Group Stage after 2024-25 ISL Shield Winners Mohun Bagan Super Giant.
Both Goa and Bagan will discover their Group Stage opponents after the draw on August 15.
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