ISL: FC Goa close gap on leaders Mohun Bagan with 2-0 win over Chennaiyin FC

Margao (Goa) [India], January 25 : FC Goa defeated Chennaiyin FC 2-0 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 on Saturday.
With this win, the Gaurs moved up to second place in the table with 33 points, closing the gap with top-positioned Mohun Bagan Super Giant (37) to just four points.
Iker Guarrotxena put FC Goa ahead in the game with his sharp awareness inside the six-yard box. After a corner, Boris Singh received the ball on the right flank. He curled in a cross that was mishandled by Chennaiyin FC goalkeeper Mohammed Nawaz. Brison Fernandes seized the chance, but his shot ricocheted off the woodwork. Guarrotxena picked up the loose ball and hammered it into the high center of the goal in the 11th minute.
Nawaz partly redeemed himself six minutes later as Aakash Sangwan burst into the box following a fast break by the Gaurs and shot firmly from a narrow angle on the left side. Nawaz was forced to make an outstretched dive, getting his hand on the shot to save his side from conceding again.
However, Sangwan did get the better of Nawaz in the 26th minute. This time, from an even more difficult angle, the Gaurs executed a move that looked straight out of the training ground. Guarrotxena set the tone with quick interplay, then made a backward pass to Carl McHugh. Unmarked, McHugh lobbed a ball over the Chennaiyin FC backline for Sangwan, who took a deft touch before calmly placing the ball into the bottom left corner, beating Nawaz at the near post.
FC Goa upped the intensity after their second goal, taking a more proactive approach and testing Chennaiyin FC's defense in multiple ways. Guarrotxena operated through the middle and had a chance to triple the lead in the 31st minute. In space, with no Chennaiyin FC players near him, he unleashed a thunderous shot on target that had to be saved by Nawaz at the top center of the goal.
While FC Goa orchestrated multiple incisive attacking moves, Chennaiyin FC struggled to create meaningful chances. FC Goa operated seamlessly as a unit, with the defense building attacks and the midfield sustaining pressure. Chennaiyin FC did have a chance to pull a goal back in the 69th minute.
Connor Shields, the league's leading assist-maker (8), sprinted down the right flank before delivering a cross for Wilmar Jordan Gil in the center of the FC Goa box. Wilmar got into a complicated position while trying to control the ball. He squared it for Farukh Choudhary beside him. With ample space to target the net, Farukh ended up striking his shot well over the goal.
Chennaiyin FC head coach Owen Coyle brought on Laldinliana Renthlei and Daniel Chima Chukwu for Lalrinliana Hnamte and Elsinho in the 82nd minute, aiming to flood the frontline with more numbers in search of a goal. Daniel got to the end of an offensive sequence in the 85th minute but was flagged offside.
Sangwan continued to probe the Chennaiyin FC defense, getting close to the goal from the left flank. He received a pass from Borja Herrera and forced Nawaz to make a save at the bottom left corner. However, FC Goa capped off the game with all three points.