ISL 2020-21: 10-man FC Goa hold off SC East Bengal in feisty affair

Vipin Pawar / Sportzpics for ISL

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SC East Bengal came from behind to draw FC Goa to a 1-1 draw at the Fatorda on Friday. Goa went ahead through Igor Angulo's 39th-minute goal, before SCEB captain Danny Fox equalised in the 65th minute. A minute later, his Goa counterpart, Edu Bedia was sent for a second yellow.

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The first half was an open-ended affair with chances being created at both ends. However, Goa went into the break with a one-goal advantage after punishing SCEB for a defensive error.

The match started with high drama, after Narayan Das was adjudged to have been tripped by Mohammed Ali in the Goa box, even though it had looked like Das had lost his footing. Anthony Pilkington stepped up to take the penalty and sent Goa keeper Dheeraj Singh the wrong way but blasted his effort wide.

Goa tried to make inroads after surviving the early scare but missed their chances. Meanwhile, SCEB grew into the game as it progressed, applying constant pressure on the Goa backline but weren't clinical in the final third.

Goa came close to increasing their advantage during the closing stages of the first half through a free kick. Jorge Ortiz curled the ball towards the top corner but SCEB keeper Debjit Majumder displayed great awareness by managing to get a finger-tip save, which brushed the crossbar before going out.

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But Goa soon took the lead. Princeton Rebello won the ball in midfield and found Alberto Noguera, who played a sublime through ball for Angulo in the box. The Spaniard rounded off Majumder before slotting into an empty net, extending his lead at the top of the goal-scoring charts -- he now has ten goals this season

The second half belonged to SCEB. The goal, though, came from a mistake. Bright Enobakhare won a free kick, from which Pilkington fired a low cross into the box and Dheeraj fluffed his lines, allowing Fox to pounce on the loose ball and blast home from close range.

A minute later, after Edu Bedia was sent off for a second yellow card after the hour mark. With a numerical advantage on their side, SCEB piled pressure on Goa. They fashioned a great chance during the 74th minute but Dheeraj produced a fine save to keep Goa alive. Das whipped a cross into the box for Harmanpreet Singh, who aimed a shot at the keeper with just one touch from close range. However, Dheeraj was alert and got a hand to the shot.

Goa held firm as the match drew on, to win a point off the game. FC Goa remain third with 21 points in 14 games, and play NorthEast United next on Feb 4. SC East Bengal remain tenth with 13 points in 14.and next play Bengaluru on Feb 2.