Delhi Dynamos FC held firm to deny free-scoring FC Goa all three points in a goalless stalemate at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Monday. The match lacked any real spark with the visitors enjoying most of the ball and the home outfit defending deep. With the point, the visitors took their tally to 25 points, while the Dynamos took theirs to 11.

  • The visitors had the better of the chances in an even first-half.
  • Edu Bedia came closest to scoring after latching onto a Brandon Fernandes through ball.
  • Jackichand Singh disappointed at the back end of the match with an off-target shot.

Coming into the match on the back of a 2-0 success, both the Dynamos and the Gaurs resisted the temptation to rest players despite the rigorous schedule that follows. Hugo Boumous replaced Edu Garcia and was in the thick of the action right from the off, providing the cross from which Mourtada Fall headed wide in just the 4thminute.

Goa’s backline had kept two consecutive clean sheets coming into the match but were caught napping just a minute later when Lallianzuala Chhangte pounced on some miscommunication between goalkeeper Naveen Kumar and Fall before steering a tame effort towards goal. Lacking pace, the attempt was easily cleared by the retreating Gaurs backline.

Josep Gombau’s men perhaps, uncharacteristically, sat back for the entirety of the first 45, allowing Goa to have the larger share of possession, albeit without much reward. Winger Jackichand was Goa’s best attacking outlet as he used his pace to set Fernandes free near the edge of the Dynamos box in the 14th minute. Fernandes, however, tried to hit the ball too hard and as a result missed the target.

Chances were few and far between following that effort with both defences holding firm. Jackichand and Lenny Rodrigues chanced their foot on separate occasions towards the end of the half, but their failure to find the back of the net meant there was nothing to choose between the two teams at half-time.

Like the first, the second-half had a bright opening where both teams looked for that killer pass in the final-third. The Dynamos pressed well before slowly fading as Goa, not for the first time in the match, asserted their dominance on proceedings on and off the ball.

Fernandes was again at the heart of two quick-fire chances for the visitors near the hour-mark as he first, beautifully set up Bedia with a deliciously disguised pass from which the substitute failed to convert. The 24-year-old then had a shot of his own hit the side net minutes later.

Delhi resigned themselves to defending in numbers with the match heading into its final quarter. Goa for their part kept trying to find a way past a much-improved Dynamos defence and should have scored when Ferran Corominas fed Jackichand inside the opposition box only to see the winger slam his shot way off the mark.

HERO OF THE MATCH – Brandon Fernandes

The 24-year-old put his best foot forward on a day when most of the Gaurs’ attack disappointed. Fernandes created a beautiful opening for Bedia and had two decent shots at goal.

CLUB AWARDS 

Club Award – Delhi Dynamos FC and FC Goa

Swift Limitless Player of the Match – Francisco Dorronsoro

DHL Winning Pass of the Match – Ferran Corominas

ISL Emerging Player of the Match – Lallianzuala Chhangte

Hero of the Match – Brandon Fernandes

WHAT’S NEXT?

Delhi Dynamos FC will play NorthEast United FC next in Guwahati on Thursday. FC Goa, on the other hand, are in action next week when they host Kerala Blasters FC.

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