Indian Tremendous League facet FC Goa suffered a 0-2 defeat to FC Istiklol of Tajikistan of their second AFC Champions League 2 Group D match right here on Wednesday.
Second-half strikes from Rustam Soirov and Reza Dehghani gave the Tajik champions their first win following their 0-5 loss to Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr Membership on matchday one. FC Goa, in the meantime, suffered their second defeat, having misplaced to Iraq’s Al Zawraa SC of their opener at residence.
Soirov, Manuchehr Safarov and Muhammadjon Rahimov of the house facet made tentative tries from exterior the world throughout the first quarter-hour however their makes an attempt had been simply thwarted by FC Goa keeper Hrithik Tiwari.
FC Goa’s first likelihood got here within the twenty second minute when a nook by Borja Herrera resulted in a goalmouth melee which ended with Spanish defender Pol Moreno booting the ball over the bar.
The scrappy encounter got here briefly to life within the thirty ninth minute when Siavash Haghnazari evaded FC Goa defence simply exterior the six-yard field, solely to see his shot properly saved by Tiwari.
Herrera’s header off a cross by Boris Singh 5 minutes later was headed for aim however was thwarted by a last-second flying save from keeper Stosic Nikola.
Istiklol broke the impasse a minute after the break when Soirov fired previous the flailing fingers of Tiwari into the highest left nook after making the most of a defensive mix-up by FC Goa captain Sandesh Jhingan and Moreno exterior the six-yard space.
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The guests, to their credit score, refused to sit down again however consecutive efforts by Javi Siverio and Brison Fernandes within the fifty fifth minute failed to search out the goal.
Dehghani, who got here on within the 66th minute, prolonged Istiklol’s lead eight minutes later when he blasted previous Tiwari from simply exterior the world after choosing up a free ball following Rahimov’s fumbled try at aim.
FC Goa’s spirited makes an attempt to shut the hole got here to nought with Dejan Drazic’s last-minute shot in a crowded goalmouth flying off into the group. FC Goa face Al Nassr on October 22 in Margao, whereas Istiklol meet Al Zawraa on the identical day.