Al Wahda and FC Goa ACL tie ends in draw

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

FC Goa maintained their unbeaten start to life in the AFC Champions League on Saturday as Juan Ferrando’s tournament debutants held Al Wahda from the UAE to a 0-0 draw in their Group E meeting at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

The draw followed the club’s goalless clash with Qatar’s Al Rayyan in the opening round of the 2021 edition of the continental club championship on Wednesday while Al Wahda picked up their first point of the campaign, having lost their first fixture against Iran's Persepolis FC.

Neither side was able to make much of an impact during the opening quarter of the game and it took until the 23rd minute for Al Wahda defender Fares Jumaa to trouble Dheeraj Singh, the robust central defender finding the FC Goa goalkeeper’s arms with a downward header.

The side from the UAE increased the tempo as the half wore on but were unable to find the finishing touch to some improved approach play. Ismaeil Matar’s intelligent, quickly taken free-kick found Khalil Ibrahim, only to see his cutback towards the penalty spot cleared.

Tim Matavz forced Dheeraj Singh into action a minute before the break when he hit Omar Khrbin’s pass first-time towards goal and four minutes later the Slovenian saw an attempt from much closer range blocked by the home defence.

Al Wahda cranked up the pressure in the second half, with Lucas Pimenta sending his header wide before Khrbin was left frustrated when he nodded Ibrahim’s cross from the right into the arms of a grateful Dheeraj Singh.

The club from Abu Dhabi was almost to rue that miss 17 minutes from time when Brandon Fernandes latched on to Jorge Ortiz’s ball behind the defence, sending in a low first-time cross that Devendra Murgaokar met with his right foot but which Mohamed Al Shamsi palmed away.

Matar then saw his free-kick kept out by Singh while Glan Martins saw his long range drive at the other end deflected wide of the Al Wahda goal before Dheeraj Singh twice denied Khrbin in the dying moments to ensure the points were shared.

Up next for Al Wahda are Al Rayyan on Tuesday while FC Goa will play Persepolis.