FC Goa began their AFC Champions League Two campaign with a 2-0 defeat against Iraq's Al Zawraa SC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda on Wednesday. The loss marks a setback for the Gaurs in their second Asian campaign.
The match began at a frenetic pace, with Al Zawraa immediately applying pressure. In the 5th minute, a skillful move from the visitors carved open FC Goa's defense, but Qasim Majid's effort struck the woodwork. FC Goa responded quickly, with Dejan Drazic delivering a cross to Javier Siverio in the 8th minute, but his header went over the crossbar. As the first half progressed, both teams settled into a rhythm, with Al Zawraa maintaining possession but struggling to create clear chances. Hrithik Tiwari, the FC Goa goalkeeper, made a brilliant save to deny Nizar Al Rashdan's header from a freekick. However, Al Zawraa's persistence paid off just before halftime when Reziq Bani Hani scored after his initial shot was blocked.
In the second half, FC Goa created more opportunities, but their finishing lacked precision. Early in the second half, Ayush Chhetri replaced Iker Guarrotxena. Borja Herrera led the Gaurs' attacking efforts, combining well with the forwards. Around the hour mark, Herrera found Siverio in the box, but the striker's attempt lacked power. Brison Fernandes replaced Udanta Singh in the 67th minute, and FC Goa created a few more chances through Brison and Drazic, but they couldn't convert. Javier Siverio had another headed opportunity in injury time, but he failed to hit the target. Al Zawraa sealed the victory with Nizar Al Rashdan's late goal, squeezing his shot through a crowd of legs to make it 2-0.
FC Goa, the Kalinga Super Cup 2024 champions, qualified for the ACL Two group stage after defeating Oman's Al Seeb in the Preliminary Stage. They are placed in a challenging group alongside Al Zawraa, Tajikistan's FC Istiklol, and Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr. Their next match is against FC Istiklol on October 1. Al-Zawraa, one of Iraq's most decorated clubs with a record 14 Iraqi Premier League titles, brought their experience in Asian tournaments to the match.
