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Brandon Fernandes commits to FC Goa for three more years

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Brandon Fernandes signs three year extension at FC Goa

Margao, Goa: FC Goa has announced that Brandon Fernandes has penned a new three-year contract, which will keep him at the club until June 2024.

Brandon, 26, has been with FC Goa since being selected by the Gaurs in the 2017 ISL Draft with their pick in the 6th round. Since then, Brandon has gone on to become one of the vital cogs in the FC Goa side which has qualified for the ISL playoffs in each of the past four seasons.

The midfielder meanwhile, over the last four seasons has gone on to become an Indian international with all three goals from India during the latest World Cup qualification campaign coming via assists from Brandon. The FC Goa no. 10 also holds the record for the highest number of assists recorded by an Indian in the Hero Indian Super League.

Capable of playing across the midfield, the Indian international played a crucial role in helping the Gaurs win their first-ever trophy in 2019. Brandon scored what turned out to be the eventual winner in the Super Cup that year to help FC Goa to their maiden silverware.

Speaking after putting pen to paper on the new contract, Brandon Fernandes said, “Playing for FC Goa has always been special ever since I arrived here four years back. I feel at home here. Together we have been able to stitch together a lot of successful; chapters over the past few years and I am looking forward to continuing in the same vein in the years to come.

“I am convinced that the best days – both for me and the Club lies ahead of us and I intend to start working towards that. Being a Goan, it gives me great pleasure to continue to wear this shirt and representing my people for many years to come. I will be giving everything I have to help deliver the success that our fans deserve.

FC Goa’s Director of Football, Ravi Puskur also expressed his delight upon the deal. He said, “We’re delighted that Brandon has agreed to commit his long-term future to the club. He has grown leaps and bounds since he first arrived here in 2017 to turn into one of the most consistent creative forces in the country. He’s been a very important part of our success over the past 4 years and has become ingrained into the fabric of the club. We are confident that his best years are yet to come and we’re pleased that he’s chosen to spend those in Goa.”

(FCG Media)

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Indian Super League

FC Goa beat Mumbai City in a six-goal thriller

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Mumbai, Maharashtra: FC Goa returned to winning ways and climbed to the top of the Hero Indian Super League table with a 4-2 win against Mumbai City FC at the Mumbai Football Arena here on Thursday.

The goal-fest began with Lenny Rodrigues giving Goa the lead in the 27th minute. The visitors doubled their lead with a Ferran Corominas (45′) strike just before half-time. The second half saw three goals in the space of ten minutes, with Mumbai City equalizing in quick session through Sarthak Golui (49′), Souvik Chakrabarti (55′) and later Hugo Boumous (59′) putting the visitors back in lead. Carlos Pena (89′) scored another late in the game to rub further salt into Mumbai’s wounds.

Sergio Lobera’s team picked up their second win of the season and are atop with eight points after four rounds. Mumbai are fifth with four points in their kitty.

Mumbai refused to sit back and let Goa pass the ball around in the opening minutes but the hosts, however, failed to test Mohammed Nawaz’s goal during that period. This allowed the visitors to get back into the game and draw first blood.

In the 27th minute, a Brandon Fernandes corner-kick found Lenny with just enough space inside the box to take a touch, turn and place his shot into the bottom left corner of the net to score his first goal for the club.

Mumbai responded well and pressed high up the field. Bipin Singh’s cross from the flank was met by Subhasish Bose who headed it into the path of Diego Carlos. The Brazilian striker hit the side-netting from a dangerous position, leaving the Goan defence relieved.

At the stroke of half-time, Goa carved the Mumbai defence open with a simple yet effective passing move. Boumous fed Seriton Fernandes in behind Bose and the full-back’s cross into the centre was well received by Ferran Corominas who took a touch and found the net to score the Gaurs’ second.

The hosts came out for the restart with renewed vigour and hit back immediately. Mohammed Larbi’s corner-kick from the left found Golui at the far post and the defender, left completely unmarked, nodded a looping header into the net.

Mumbai soon pulled level courtesy of a neat finish by Chakrabarti. Bipin’s cross into the box was initially cleared but the ball fell to Raynier who laid it off for Chakrabarti to execute an excellent strike into the bottom corner.

With the sides level and nothing to separate them, the match opened up. Goa regained the lead when Mourtada Fall rose highest inside the box to a flick a free-kick across goal towards Boumous. The 24-year-old midfielder’s header bulged the net, leaving Amrinder with no chance.

Goa added a fourth to seal the win in the 89th minute. Edu Bedia’s free-kick from the right flank was met by Pena with a smart flick to guide it past the goalkeeper.

(ISL Media)

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Indian Super League

Manvir rescues point for Goa with last-minute goal

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Guwahati, Assam: FC Goa came up with yet another injury-time equaliser to salvage a point against NorthEast United FC in a thrilling 2-2 draw at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium here on Friday.

Goa did the same against Bengaluru FC in their previous match which finished 1-1.

Hugo Boumous (31′) put Goa ahead in the first-half before NorthEast United came up with two second-half strikes from Asamoah Gyan (54′) and Redeem Tlang (74′). But despite a late red card to Seiminlen Doungel, Manvir Singh bagged a late equaliser for Goa.

NorthEast United were the first to threaten the goal when Milan Singh found Gyan at the edge of the box and the Ghanaian forced a good save from Mohammad Nawaz.

The game was played from one end to another and Boumous was denied by the crossbar minutes later. Ahmed Jahouh found Ferran Corominas who released Boumous into the box but the Frenchman’s thunderous strike struck the woodwork.

However, Boumous was not to be denied in the 31st minute. In a move that oozed quality, Brandon Fernandes played an excellent first-time through-ball off Corominas’ layoff to feed Boumous in behind the NorthEast defence. The midfielder skipped past the onrushing goalkeeper Subhasish Roy Chowdhury and calmly slotted into an empty net.

NorthEast stepped up their efforts to find a goal and Gyan spurned two big chances to pull his team level in the first half. First, Mourtada Fall misplaced a simple pass into the feet of the forward but his shot from the edge of the box was hit straight at the goalkeeper. Five minutes before the break, the Ghanaian’s header was well saved by Nawaz.

Gyan made his mark soon after the restart by scoring the equaliser. The striker, who pounced on Fall’s failure to intercept Rakesh Pradhan’s through-ball, latched on to the pass inside the box and curled a neat strike past Nawaz into the net.

As the visitors tried to regain their lead, Subhasish pulled off a brilliant double save to keep his team in the game soon after the hour-mark. First, Corominas played Jackichand through into the box and the winger’s powerful effort was kept out by the diving goalkeeper. The rebound fell to Corominas lurking inside the box but Subhasish got up in time to block the Spaniard’s shot from close-range.

NorthEast’s second-half intensity was rewarded in the 74th minute. Martin Chaves ran down the left flank and produced an accurate low cross for Redeem Tlang whose magnificent first-time strike left Nawaz rooted to the spot and put the home side into the lead.

There was drama right at the end as Seiminlen Doungel’s poor tackle on Chaves was punished with a red card.

But a 10-man Goa found joy in injury time when a free-kick into the box was flicked across goal by Fall. Manvir rose highest in the centre of the box to nod the ball in and give his side a point.

(ISL Media)

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Indian Super League

High drama as Goa, Bengaluru share spoils

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Goa, October 28: The first meeting of the season between the two Hero Indian Super League heavyweights finished all square after FC Goa and Bengaluru FC shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Monday.

In what was a fiercely contested game in midfield, the teams struggled to carve out clear-cut chances but the visitors, who produced the better output in the final third, found the breakthrough through Udanta Singh in the 62nd minute. However, in dramatic fashion, Goa’s Ferran Corominas won a penalty in injury time and converted it himself to salvage a point for his team.

The result sees FC Goa join Mumbai City FC and NorthEast United FC at the top of the table with four points from two games while Bengaluru have now played out a second consecutive draw.

The goalkeepers were called into action within the first ten minutes of an intriguing game. Corominas played a good ball forward to Manvir Singh who released Seiminlen Doungel in behind the Bengaluru defence with a clever through-ball. But goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu rushed off his line just in time to collect the ball. At the other end, Udanta Singh’s looping cross from the right was punched away by Goa custodian Mohammed Nawaz.

The teams resorted to a cautious approach when going forward after the early hustle. Bengaluru had more of the ball than the home side but chances were few and far between.

Seriton Fernandes took matters into his own hands when he picked up the ball in midfield, danced his way past a couple of defenders and played the ball to Ahmed Jahouh with the game nearing half-time. The Moroccan midfielder tried to chip a cross into the box for Manvir but Ashique Kuruniyan, playing at left-back, made a timely interception. At the other end, a Dimas Delgado corner-kick almost bulged the net directly but Doungel’s header from the line kept the match goalless at the break.

The hosts enjoyed a period of dominance after the break, with the likes of Ahmed Jahouh and Ferran Corominas getting slightly more time on the ball. The Spanish striker was fouled as he tried to dribble into the box close to the hour-mark but Brandon Fernandes sent the resulting free-kick high and wide.

Goa couldn’t score during the period they were on top and Bengaluru handed out the punishment in the 62nd minute. Udanta collected a simple flick from Manuel Onwu at the edge of the box, outfoxed Mourtada Fall with a sublime touch and slotted the ball past Nawaz to score with the game’s first shot on target.

Udanta’s agility got the better of the Goa defence again on the right flank a few minutes later but the winger’s cross to Chhetri inside the box was cut out by a vigilant Seriton.

FC Goa came alive in the final minutes of the game, with Jackichand Singh wreaking havoc on the right flank and creating two big chances in as many minutes. His drilled crosses on both occasions failed to find a teammate inside the box, much to the relief of the visitors.

But there was drama right at the end. With Bengaluru on the verge of victory, a clumsy challenge by Ashique Kuriniyan on Corominas after the youngster lost the ball resulted in the referee pointing to the spot. Corominas converted coolly from 12 yards to send the home supporters into delirium and earn a point for his team.

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Indian Super League

Goa on song in opener against Chennaiyin FC

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Margao, Goa: FC Goa struck the right chords on the field to ease past Chennaiyin FC 3-0 in their first game of the Hero Indian Super League 2019-20 season at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Wednesday.

The ISL runners-up were a step ahead of their opponents in all areas of the field and were the better team overall. New signing Seiminlen Doungel scored on his debut to break the deadlock in the 30th minute. All-time ISL top-scorer Ferran Corominas struck in the 62nd minute and substitute Carlos Pena added a third in the 81st minute to consign an unimpressive Chennaiyin to a defeat.

The hosts were quick to get on the ball and spray passes around right from the start. However, it were the visitors who first went close when Dragos Firtulescu was fed through on goal in the 12th minute. A last-ditch Seriton Fernandes challenge prevented a catastrophic start for the hosts.

Sergio Lobera’s men soon regained their rhythm to pose a serious threat to the Chennaiyin defence. In the 19th minute, Ferran Corominas picked up the ball from midfield and released Seiminlen Doungel into the box. Chennaiyin goalkeeper Vishal Kaith was on to the ball in a flash before Goa’s new signing could pounce and take a shot. A minute later, Manvir Singh attempted a powerful strike after making room for himself at the edge of the box and once again, Kaith was up to the task, pulling off a diving save to his left.

Goa’s intent in the attacking third was rewarded at the half an hour mark. Manvir Singh beat his marker and crossed into the box from the right flank. The striker’s cross took a double deflection off Eli Sabia and Doungel before rolling into the net.

The hosts remained on top of the game and refused to sit back after taking the lead. Brandon Fernandes’ piledriver just before half-time had Vishal Kaith well beaten but the ball flew just wide. Ferran Corominas’s curling effort a minute later was tipped away by an acrobatic Kaith who kept Chennaiyin in the game.

John Gregory replaced Dhanpal Ganesh with the more creative Anirudh Thapa in midfield to swing the contest back in his team’s favour. The hosts, however, proved difficult to break down.

Goa continued to create chances and soon doubled their lead. Manvir Singh broke away through the middle and found Jackichand Singh in space to his right. The winger’s low cross into the center of the box was guided into the net in by ISL’s all-time top scorer Ferran Corominas who scored his 35th league goal.

Chennaiyin struggled in the attacking third and were unable to find a way back into the game. Lallianzuala Chhangte did have a chance to pull one back when he tried to curl the ball into the top right corner from the edge of the box, but Mohammed Nawaz produced a brilliant save to preserve Goa’s clean sheet.

FC Goa added a third in the 81st minute and sealed the win when a Brandon free-kick from the left was poked into the net by Carlos Pena at the near post.

(ISL Media)

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