FC Goa put on a ruthless display to rout FC Pune City 4 – 0 in Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2017-18 at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium in Pune on Sunday. A brace from Ferran Corominas and goals from Manuel Lanzarote and Hugo Boumous secured the win as Goa kept their first clean sheet of the season.

The Stallions started by taking the attack to the visitors, and nearly took the lead in the 11^th minute. Marcelinho delivered a free-kick from the left and Sahil Panwar rose high to meet it with his header. The ball however, came off the upright. Eight minutes later, the Gaurs got a free-kick from the edge of the box. Lanzarote stepped up to take it, but his curled effort was inches away from the top-corner.

Goa took the lead two minutes from the half-hour mark. Adil Khan’s hard tackle on Boumous inside the box was deemed to be unfair by the referee who promptly pointed to the spot. Lanzarote took the penalty and sent Pune custodian Vishal Kaith the wrong way to score his ninth goal of the season.

Four minutes from the break, Marcelinho drilled a low shot on target from inside the box, but Goa keeper Naveen Kumar got down quickly to grab the ball. Then two minutes into added time, from a swift Goa counter-attack, Boumous crossed the ball from the left to Corominas, whose first-time shot was saved at point-blank range by Kaith. It proved to be the last chance of reckoning in the opening period as the Gaurs went into the break with a one-goal advantage.

A minute following the restart, Goa had two quick chances. First, Boumous squared the ball for Lanzarote from the by-line, but the latter’s shot was met with a splendid save by an outstretched Kaith. Then, Boumous had a crack at goal after opening up space for himself in midfield. His shot though ended up rattling the crossbar.

But the Moroccan would not be denied his second goal in five matches in the 47^th minute. He cut in from the right and unleashed a powerful shot that Kaith got a hand to, but could not prevent from hitting the back of the net.

Goa’s third came a couple of minutes before the hour-mark. Once more, Boumous was involved when he set up Corominas through on goal with a lovely back-heel. The Spaniard took time to pick his spot and smash the ball past Kaith for his team’s third of the evening.

Still Goa did not relent and they got a fourth just seven minutes later. Mandar Rao Dessai’s cross was handled by Sarthak Golui inside the box and the referee awarded a second penalty to the visitors. Corominas stepped up this time and smashed the ball home, giving Kaith no chance.

Things turned worse for the hosts 10 minutes from full-time when Marcelinho was shown a second yellow card and consequently given his marching orders. It proved to be the last talking point of the match as the Gaurs kept their hopes of making the playoffs alive.

MATCH AWARDS

Club Award: FC Goa

Swift Limitless Player: Naveen Kumar

DHL Winning Pass of the Match: Ferran Corominas

Amul Fittest Player: Hugo Boumous

Emerging Player: Mohamed Ali

Hero of the Match: Ferran Corominas

Watch the match highlights here: