Ishan Pandita rose from the bench once again to score a crucial goal that helped FC Goa secure a 1-1 draw against ATK Mohun Bagan at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Sunday.
It was Edu Garcia’s 75th minute free-kick that broke the deadlock and, like in previous games, it looked like they would hold on to their lead. But Goa head coach Juan Ferrando introduced Pandita in the 80th minute and the forward scored five minutes later to earn his team a crucial point.
The same Pandita, who plied his trade in Spain before returning to India, had struck the equaliser in the 87th minute against Hyderabad and then Igor Angulo scored the winner. This time though, the Spanish striker could only watch from the bench as Ferrando didn’t risk him late in the game.
The draw meant Goa squandered the chance to leapfrog their opponents and move to the second spot. They remain third with 19 points from 12 games, while ATKMB have played a game less and are on 21 points, five short of league leaders Mumbai City FC.
Understandably, Ferrando didn’t want to change his winning combination and started with Jorge Ortiz upfront for the second consecutive match as Angulo had to patiently wait on the bench. It was an unchanged starting 11 that defeated Jamshedpur FC 3-0.
ATKMB had more time to recover after their 0-1 defeat against Mumbai on Monday and it showed with their fast pace. Antonio Habas’ side are known for their defensive prowess, but at Fatorda, they pressed hard right from the start. Their tactics did not allow Goa to take control as they usually do.
Goa were struggling to break through ATKMB’s strong centre-back pairing of Sandesh Jhingan and Tiri. Alberto Noguera and Ortiz were forced to try from outside the box, but neither attempts troubled keeper Arindam Bhattacharya.
At the other end, ATKMB came inches close from a Garcia corner but Subhasish Bose’s header hit the ground and came off the horizontal bar before the cooling break.
Goa were unlucky as well. Noguera found Seriton Fernandes with a delightful through ball but the right-back’s cross took a deflection and hit the crossbar. Minutes after the restart, another attempted cross from Seriton beat Bhattacharya but hit the post.
ATKMB kept pressing. David Williams dispossessed Ivan Gonzalez and Krishna was moving dangerously before the Goa defender brought him down for a booking.
Goa were feeling the pressure and soon James Donachie fouled Krishna in the 74th minute to concede a free-kick just outside the box. It proved costly as Garcia’s powerful right-footer found the top corner.
Goa made a couple of changes and it worked when Donachie’s header off a corner was cleared on the goalline and the rebound fell to substitute Pandita who blasted it past Bhattacharya.
There was still more action in the dying minutes as former Goa forward Manvir Singh saw his header hit the post.