MARGAO
FC Goa turned up the heat in the second half to secure a dominant 3-1 victory over Odisha FC at the PJN Stadium. After a tense and scoreless first period, the home side found their rhythm to climb to fifth place in the standings, leaving Odisha rooted near the bottom of the table.
The first half was a cautious affair, marked by a solid performance from Goa’s debutant goalkeeper, Bob Jackson Raj, who stood firm against early threats from Odisha’s Rahul KP. At the other end, Odisha’s veteran keeper Amrinder Singh pulled off a crucial save to deny Udanta Singh, keeping the game balanced at the break.
Everything changed in the 62nd minute when Dejan Drazic broke the deadlock. A perfectly weighted pass from midfielder Ayush Chhetri allowed Drazic to slot home, shifting the momentum entirely in Goa’s favor. The pressure mounted, and in the 81st minute, Pol Moreno doubled the lead with a clever low free-kick that caught the defense off guard.
In a frantic finish, Brison Fernandes added a third from the penalty spot during stoppage time after a clumsy foul in the box. While Odisha’s Suhair VP managed a late close-range goal to ruin the clean sheet, it was too little, too late. Ayush Chhetri was named Player of the Match for his masterful control in midfield. With 13 points now in the bag, Goa looks like a serious contender, while Odisha faces a steep uphill climb to save their season.