Spanish striker Iker Guarrotxena stole the spotlight at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Monday, netting a sensational hat-trick to power FC Goa to a dominant 3-0 victory over Gokulam Kerala FC and secure a place in the quarterfinals of the Kalinga Super Cup.
The 31-year-old forward opened the scoring in the 23rd minute from the penalty spot after teammate Dejan Drazic was brought down inside the box by Salam Ranjan Singh. Guarrotxena calmly slotted the ball past Gokulam goalkeeper Shibinraj Kunniyil, setting the tone for an authoritative performance by the Gaurs.
Just twelve minutes later, Goa doubled their lead in style. Aakash Sangwan made a surging run down the left flank and delivered a precise cross into the box, where Guarrotxena timed his run perfectly to nod home his second goal of the evening.
With FC Goa dictating the pace and controlling possession, Gokulam Kerala found themselves chasing shadows for most of the match. The ISL side’s superiority was evident as they created chance after chance, while the I-League outfit struggled to impose themselves.
The final blow came in the 71st minute, when Guarrotxena completed his hat-trick, underlining his clinical finishing and sealing an emphatic start to Goa’s Super Cup campaign under head coach Manolo Marquez.
Earlier in the day, Punjab FC delivered a commanding performance of their own, brushing aside hosts Odisha FC 3-0 to also book a quarterfinal berth. The Shers wasted no time asserting control, with Asmir Suljic opening the scoring in the 14th minute. A defense-splitting through ball from Ezequiel Vidal allowed Suljic to chip the ball over the advancing goalkeeper with finesse.
Vidal turned scorer in the second half, showcasing his individual brilliance in the 69th minute. After gliding past his marker, he curled a powerful left-footed strike into the far corner, doubling Punjab’s lead.
The win was capped off in the 90th minute when substitute Manglenthang Kipgen sent a superb long ball to Nihal Sudeesh, who kept his composure to slot in Punjab’s third.
With both FC Goa and Punjab FC producing commanding wins, the stage is now set for a tantalizing quarterfinal clash between the two in-form teams at the Kalinga Super Cup.
