An inspired display from Manolo Marquez’s FC Goa went unrewarded as the Indian side fell 1-2 to Saudi Arabian powerhouse Al Nassr in an enthralling AFC Champions League Two (ACL 2) encounter at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Wednesday.
Despite a spirited fightback and a raucous home crowd behind them, the Gaurs remain without a point in the tournament, while Nassr extended its perfect record with a third consecutive victory. Goals from Angelo Damaceno and Haroune Camara sealed the win for the visitors, while local favourite Brison Fernandes gave Goa fans a moment to cheer with his stunning first-half strike.
The visitors started brightly, asserting control early through slick passing and relentless pressure. Goa’s captain Sandesh Jhingan made an early statement of intent, producing a superb tackle to deny Camara in the sixth minute, drawing loud applause from the stands.
But Nassr’s dominance soon told. In the 10th minute, Abdulrahman Ghareeb picked out Angelo at the edge of the area, and the Brazilian curled a precise shot into the bottom-left corner, giving goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari no chance.
Goa’s defensive frailties were exposed again in the 27th minute when Angelo’s clever pass found Yahya in space. The winger lofted a neat ball to Camara, who, surrounded by defenders, controlled expertly and turned to slot home Nassr’s second goal.
The home crowd, however, remained electric, urging their team forward with every touch. The noise reached fever pitch in the 41st minute when substitute Brison Fernandes, who had replaced the injured Javier Siverio, combined beautifully with Dejan Drazic. Receiving a perfectly weighted pass, Brison cut inside Abdulelah Al Amri and curled a left-footed strike into the far corner, sending the stadium into delirium.
Goa’s resilience shone through the second half, even as Nassr introduced global stars Sadio Mane, Joao Felix, and Kingsley Coman. Mane, the clear crowd favourite, acknowledged the fans with a wave before stepping onto the field in the 66th minute. Moments later, Goa nearly found an equaliser through Boris Singh Thangjam, but his effort was ruled out for offside.
Despite Nassr’s continued attacks, Goa’s defence, led heroically by Jhingan, stood firm to prevent further damage. However, the hosts’ evening ended on a sour note when midfielder David Timor received a straight red card in stoppage time for kicking the ball toward the assistant referee.
The defeat leaves Goa still searching for its first ACL 2 point, but Marquez’s men can take pride in a valiant display against one of Asia’s elite. The two teams will meet again on November 5 at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh.
