It was the last game of the season at the Furnace. For Jamshedpur FC, it was a matter of pride as they looked to salvage something out of their last game of the season. For FC Goa, the occasion was big as a win or draw the match and they make sure they stay at the top of the table and qualify for the AFC Champions League.
After a slow start to the match, it was FC Goa who drew first blood in the 11th minute. The move initiated from a Jamshedpur FC corner after Mobashir Rahman miscued his volley at the edge of the FC Goa box. The ball fell to Hugo Boumous, who broke with speed before playing in Ferran Corominas on goal. The Hero ISL’s all-time leading goal scorer slotted past Rafique to score his 14th goal of the season and gave the Gaurs a 1-0 lead. Yet it was Jamshedpur FC who had more control of the game after FC Goa scored. Farukh Choudhary almost beat Mohammad Nawaz in the 22nd minute after heading the ball past him towards goal. The effort, however, lacked power and was cleared by Mandar Rao before it could roll into the goal. David Grande squandered a golden opportunity after Sumeet Passi found him with the brilliant cross from the left. The Spaniard misjudged his header and couldn’t get the connection he needed. Seconds before the half time whistle, Nawaz was forced into making a good save by Noe Acosta, who cut in from the left and managed to unleash a dangerous looking shot at the FC Goa goal. FC Goa went into the break leading 1-0.
The initial phases of the second half saw Jamshedpur FC show more intent, while the Gaurs tried to ensure they were solid at the back and look for counter-attacking opportunities. Seiminlen Doungel found himself in space in the Jamshedpur FC box around the 54th minute but ended up skying his effort. Just after the hour mark, there was another big effort from FC Goa as Boumous beat Rafique with a low shot from distance but was denied by the woodwork.
Boumous, however, found his goal in the 70th minute as he put the finishing touches to Doungel’s cross. Fourteen minutes later, Boumous set up the third goal for Jackichand Singh, with a lovely through pass and the winger complied with a chip over Rafique. Three minutes later, Mourtada Fall made it 4-0 after heading home an Edu Bedia cross. In the final seconds of regulation time, Boumous scored FC Goa’s 5th with a finish from a tight angle after a marauding run down the byline. The goal confirmed the 5-0 victory and also made FC Goa the first team in Hero ISL history to register 50 wins in the competition.
