FC Goa stormed past Jamshedpur FC in their final league fixture to finish top of the 2019-20 ISL and win direct entry in to the AFC Champions League. The league winners will pickup a cheque worth 50 lakh rupees and the League Winners’ Shield.
MATCH REPORT
FULL-TIME: Jamsedpur FC 0-5 FC Goa
[11′ Ferran Corominas, 70′ 90′ Hugo Boumous, 84′ Jackichand Singh, 87′ Mourtada Fall]
Going into their final league game of the season tonight, FC Goa needed a point or three to clinch the top spot and the league winners’ shield. The stakes were high – starting this season, the team which finishes top of the league qualifies for the AFC Champions League next season.
Early in the 11th minute, Goa broke on the counter and Hugo Boumous slid the ball into Coro’s path who was in acres of space. The Spaniard’s finish would take his tally up to 14 goals from 15 appearances – on par with ATK’s Roy Krishna who has 14 goals from 17 matches.
The Gaurs controlled the game for the most part, bar a few transgressions from Jamshedpur FC. Late in the second half, Boumous’ first goal of the night opened the floodgates for the away side. Driving through midfield, the French-Moroccan player passed the ball to Len Doungel who was inside the box. Len reversed the ball back into Hugo’s path and Goa had doubled their lead.
More goals followed with Jackichand Singh and the defender Mourtada Fall getting in on the action as Goa looked like scoring with every attack. Hugo capped the night with a fifth goal in the 90th minute after sliding the ball past the keeper from an acute angle.
Hugo has been a revelation at Goa this season and has been the tour de force that lit up the Gaur’s successful campaign. Boumous has scored 11 goals and assisted 10 in 14 matches in the ISL.
On their way to their league triumph, Goa broke a plethora of records.
The controversial sacking of Sergio Lobera with only three games left at the league stage did not seem to affect the team morale too much. In the three games they’ve played under the tutelage of Derrick Pereira and Clifford Miranda, Goa have scored an astonishing 14 goals.
Although, it can be argued that the team which was created in Lobera’s image played with the style and panache we have been used to over the last few years.
After finishing in the top 4 over the last two years, FC Goa’s consistency and style of play has finally paid dividends as the league winners step into the hallowed grounds of the AFC Champions League come next season.
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