Igor Angulo scored his sixth goal of the season as FC Goa beat Odisha FC by a solitary goal in the Indian Super League at the Bambolim Stadium, Goa, on Saturday.
Goa jumps to fourth
With its second successive victory from five matches, Goa with eight points jumped to fourth position from seventh, while Odisha’s winless streak continues from as many encounters and it remains 10th with a solitary point.
Towards the end of the first half, Alexander Romario’s wonderful cross from the left found Angulo, who pushed it forward before unleashing a left-footer from close range.
Odisha had few shots at the target and it didn’t create any noticeable chances upfront. Too much depended on Diego Mauricio, but the Brazilian couldn’t do much with the few chances that he had. Odisha gave the impression of being content defending.
Goa’s Jorge Mendoza, who was busy supplying crosses from the right in the first session, got busier in the second. The 28-year-old Spaniard gave his best but his shots were saved by Odisha’s custodian Arshdeep Singh — who was simply outstanding under the bar, especially in the second half — time and again.
First the Spaniard’s fierce long ranger saw Arshdeep diving to his left to fist it away. Then, Arshdeep produced two fine saves within seconds of each other: first an Angulo push was saved and off the same move Princeton Rebello’s pass saw Mendoza’s left-footed drive from outside the box blocked by a diving Arshdeep.
It was a day when Odisha was lucky to lose by a one-goal margin, thanks to its custodian Arshdeep Singh who made a string of saves.
The result: FC Goa 1 (Igor Angulo 45) bt Odisha FC 0.
