FC Goa and Hyderabad FC shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa on Wednesday in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25. Despite dominating much of the game, the Gaurs failed to secure victory, allowing the visitors to grab a crucial equalizer in the dying moments.
The match began with FC Goa asserting their dominance. In the fifth minute, Armando Sadiku nearly opened the scoring with a clever backheel attempt off a deflected shot by Mohammad Yasir. However, the ball ricocheted off the post, keeping the game goalless.
Goa’s breakthrough came in the 52nd minute after a period of sustained pressure. Boris Singh delivered a precise cross to Dejan Drazic, whose header was partially blocked by the Hyderabad defense. Sadiku, perfectly positioned, hammered the rebound into the top-right corner, giving Goa the lead and sending the home crowd into raptures.
The match took a dramatic turn seven minutes later when Goa’s Borja Herrera was shown a straight red card for an incident involving Hyderabad defender Alex Saji. However, Saji’s evening also ended prematurely in the 72nd minute after picking up a second yellow card for a foul on Sadiku. With both teams reduced to 10 men, the game became a test of resilience.
Goa nearly doubled their lead in the 75th minute when Udanta Singh set up Aakash Sangwan outside the box. Sangwan’s left-footed strike, though powerful, sailed wide of the target.
Hyderabad, who had struggled to create clear opportunities, found their moment in added time. Isaac Vanmalsawma, exploiting space on the flanks, delivered a well-placed cross that found Allan Paulista. The midfielder calmly slotted the ball into the bottom-left corner, leveling the score and stunning the Goa defense.
With the draw, FC Goa remains third in the standings with 26 points, maintaining their position in the playoff spots. Hyderabad FC, meanwhile, sits 12th with just 9 points from 15 matches, having secured their third draw of the season.
Goa will lament their missed chances and inability to close out the game, while Hyderabad will be buoyed by their fighting spirit in salvaging a point. Both teams now look ahead to their next fixtures, with Goa aiming to strengthen their top-four bid and Hyderabad hoping to climb up the table.
