FC Goa beat Jamshedpur FC 2-1 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa on Thursday in Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2017-18. Manuel Lanzarote scored the first goal of the contest from the spot in the opening period, while Trindade Goncalves netted early in the second half for Jamshedpur. Lanzarote then scored his second of the night on the hour-mark to secure maximum points for his side.

Jamshedpur started the match positively and went close to breaking the deadlock in the 11th minute after earning a free-kick in a dangerous area following Ahmed Jahouh’s foul. Goncalves stepped up and produced a venomous effort that was inches wide of the target to the relief of the home support.

Izu Azuka then went close for the visitors after a delightful turn that left a Goan defender on the floor. The Nigerian followed up his turn and unleashed a stinging effort from range that whistled fractions wide off goal.

Goa only started to grow into the match towards the end of the half with Narayan Das taking their first attempt of any note seven minutes before half-time. The Indian full-back’s shot just sailed over the bar but had Jamshedpur’s goalkeeper Subrata Paul on his toes.

The game completely turned on its head in the 42nd minute after Andre Bikey was adjudged to have brought down Brandon Fernandes in the penalty box. Lanzarote stepped up and put the ball into the left corner but the referee wanted the Spaniard to retake the spot-kick. Unperturbed, the Goa playmaker slotted the ball into the same corner with aplomb again to give his team a 1-0 advantage at half-time.

It didn’t take long for Jamshedpur to find the equaliser either after the restart and it was ex-Goa man Goncalves who got on the scoresheet. The Brazilian midfielder managed to find space in the box and expertly nodded in a quality cross from the right by Jerry Mawhmingthanga to restore parity nine minutes into the second period.

Goa again upped the ante as they looked to regain the lead and could have scored their second from a Fernandes cutback in the 58th minute. However, the ball came to Lanzarote and this time the Spaniard could only shoot directly at goal.

Lanzarote though made no mistake two minutes later after he ran onto a brilliant through ball from Fernandes. This time Lanzarote turned Jamshedpur’s skipper Tiri before curling his attempt into the far corner to make it 2-1.

Jamshedpur responded to going behind for the second time and pushed forward for another leveller. They had a big chance to score their second of the game in the 75th minute when substitute Kervens Belfort delivered an inch-perfect cross for Azuka on the edge of the six-yard box. The Nigerian managed to keep his header on target but couldn’t trouble the goalkeeper who made a comfortable save.

Edu Bedia could have put the game to bed four minutes from full-time after getting beyond Jamshedpur’s defence with the ball. The Spaniard rounded the goalkeeper but only managed to hit the outside of the goalpost with the angle against him.

Jamshedpur went on to throw everything but the kitchen sink at Goa in the closing stages of the contest in their desperate quest for another equaliser. Goa, however, defended resolutely and registered their first victory in four games.

MATCH AWARDS

Club Award: FC Goa

Swift Moment of the Match: Trindade Goncalves

DHL Winning Pass of the Match: Brandon Fernandes

Amul Fittest Player: Manuel Lanzarote

Emerging Player: Brandon Fernandes

Hero of the Match: Bruno Pinheiro

Watch the match highlights here: