The clock had stopped at 2:53 when Jorge Ortiz drew an arrow from his imaginary quiver. That is how the FC Goa forward celebrates goals, even one that felt like a sucker punch for Qatari heavyweights Al Rayyan on Tuesday. It was Ortiz who had started the move, intercepting a no-look pass from Al Rayyan and Algeria skipper Yacine Brahimi. Following a sequence of seven passes, Brandon Fernandes, aware that Ortiz was between the central defenders, played a tantalising long ball just out of reach of a defender but not in goalkeeper Soud Al Hajiri’s territory either. Ortiz struck his right leg out and got a touch and as the ball deflected off Al Hajiri’s chest, the Spaniard, off-balance, scored with his left foot.
For the second time in west zone group E of the 2021 Asian Champions League, FC Goa had taken the lead. The first through skipper Edu Bedia against Persepolis hadn’t lasted long; this one did till the 89th minute. Then FC Goa goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh, who was having a good night, got into a defensive tangle with centre-back James Donachie and watched agonised as the hopeful pass from Abdulaziz Hatem slipped from under him and was stabbed home by substitute forward Ali Fereydoun. His mask abandoned, head down, Al Rayyan coach Laurent Blanc raised his right arm.
“After 15 minutes to lose 1-0 to Goa is very difficult to accept,” said the 1998 World Cup winner. At another point in the post-match media conference Blanc said: “If we lost the game today, it would be very unfortunate.” He was referring to Al Rayyan’s greater possession (62%) which also meant they had played 200 passes more (533-333). But if the numbers were the other way around, a team from Qatar — one that is third in the domestic league and has played the Champions League nine times before this campaign — losing to one from India would still be “unfortunate.” Even if that team hadn’t won in nine games in all competitions this term.
1-1 was how it ended. After five nights among the best of Asian football, FC Goa have three draws, their only losses coming against continental giants Persepolis. It isn’t as good as Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol, also debuting in this competition now expanded to 40 teams, topping the group after four rounds but like Jordan’s Al Wehdat and Uzbekistan’s AGMK, FC Goa have acquitted themselves well. So well that, like the draw against Al Wahda, this felt like two points lost. Singh slumping on the Nehru stadium pitch in Fatorda and Ortiz, adjudged player of the match, grimacing at the final whistle conveyed that.
Persepolis’ 0-1 loss to Al Wahda earlier on Monday had eliminated FC Goa and Al Rayyan but this wasn’t about going deep in the competition but about a first win for India in the Champions League.
“This game was very important for us because you know the situation in India is very difficult now. Was thinking maybe a win would be a good moment for the people because the players were talking about playing for India. But at the end, in the last minute, one mistake, that is football,” said FC Goa coach Juan Ferrando.
Denying Yohan Boli twice, Singh made more saves than Al Hajiri and again he was well supported by FC Goa’s central defensive pair of Donachie and Ivan Gonzalez. But FC Goa did catch Al Rayyan on the break. Ishan Pandita, Glan Martins and Seriton Fernandes could have added another goal before Al Rayyan struck. But had Singh not flung himself to his right to deny Khalid Muftah when the score was 1-1, the night could have gone pear-shaped for the men in orange.
“The truth is we are playing against very good teams,” said Ferrando. “The players have done a great job. Of course, we need to improve and we have an opportunity next Thursday against Al Wahda.” FC Goa will end their campaign in Asia without Gonzalez who is suspended.