FC Goa’s AFC Champions League 2 campaign came to a disappointing conclusion on Wednesday night as the Gaurs suffered a 2-1 defeat against Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda. Despite taking an early lead through Dejan Drazic, Manolo Marquez’s side conceded twice in three second-half minutes to end the group stage with a record of six defeats from six matches.
The match began with a demonstration as FC Goa players staged a silent protest against the current administrative crisis in Indian football. As the referee blew the whistle for kick-off, the players remained stationary for the opening seconds for the uncertainty surrounding the ISL and I-League.
In an official statement, the club clarified: “This action was solely intended to draw attention to the broader challenges facing the domestic football ecosystem. It was not directed at our opponents FC Istiklol, the AFC, or the AFC Champions League Two, all of whom we respect greatly.”
On the pitch, Dejan Drazic gave the home side a bright start in the 8th minute, cutting in from the left to curl a superb effort into the top right corner. The Gaurs nearly doubled their advantage through Iker Guarrotxena, whose long-range strike was tipped away by Nikola Stosic.
Istiklol threatened throughout the first half, with Siavash Haghnazari hitting the crossbar, but Goa managed to maintain their 1-0 lead heading into the interval.
The game shifted in the second half following a series of defensive errors by the hosts. In the 53rd minute, Paul Komolafe intercepted a poor backpass from Harsh Patre, rounded goalkeeper Lara Sharma, and tapped into an empty net to equalize. Just three minutes later, Pol Moreno conceded a penalty for a handball inside the area, which Amirbek Juraboev clinicaly converted.
Despite Sodiqjon Qurbonov receiving a red card in the 74th minute, a 10-man Istiklol side successfully saw out the match to secure the three points.
This defeat marks a somber end to Indian involvement in the tournament, following Mohun Bagan's earlier disqualification for declining to travel to Iran. The domestic game remains in a state of flux after organisers FSDL informed the AIFF that the ISL was on hold due to a lack of clarity over commercial rights.
As the Asian campaign closes, FC Goa will now return their focus to domestic matters, hoping for a resolution to the administrative and commercial deadlocks that have paralyzed the Indian football ecosystem since July.