Skip to main content

Virat Kohli is perfect for No. 4 spot: AB de Villiers

India has struggled to find a suitable No.4 ever since Yuvraj Singh retired from cricket from | The Hindu https://ift.tt/gQTYZn4

AFC Champions League 2021: FC Goa go down 0-2 to Al Wahda as campaign ends on disappointing note

Margao: Indian club FC Goa suffered a 0-2 defeat at the hands of UAE's Al Wahda in the final group stage match to end their maiden campaign in the AFC Champions League on a disappointing note in Margao on Thursday.

Already out of reckoning for a place in the knockouts, FC Goa played the match without their foreign players and also missed the services of Spanish head coach Juan Ferrando, as they had been allowed to leave the country in view of the restrictions being imposed on flights from India globally due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

An unmarked Omar Khrbin struck in the 61st minute, taking advantage of a brilliant ball from Tim Matvaz, sending his shot on to the left side of the FC Goa goalkeeper.

Al Wahda almost doubled the lead but goalkeeper Naveen Kumar, who replaced first-choice custodian Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem after an injury he picked following a collision with his own defender, managed to save the attempt by the visiting side in the 72nd minute.

However, the visitors made it 2-0 when Mohammed Ali Menhali found the back of the net in the 90th minute.

The Indian Super League club didn't have any clear cut chances in the first half but managed to defend well, even as Al Wahda looked to attack on a regular basis at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Persepolis FC of Iran topped the group with 15 points after beating Al Rayyan of Qatar earlier in the day.

Al Wahda also qualified for the knockouts as one of three best runners-up with 13 points.

Before the match, Ferrando had wished his players.

"Good luck to our @FCGoaOfficial guys and technical staff ahead of tonight's match. Be sure we are proud of you all and no one is going to assess your performance based on a single game when you have already shown so much during an entire season. Make it count!" Ferrando tweeted.

The Indian outfit failed to register a win but logged three points after drawing three matches and losing as many games.



from Firstpost Sports Latest News https://ift.tt/3xymqgJ

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Premier League: Ben Mee's header helps Burnley register win over Crystal Palace

Ben Mee marked his 300th league appearance for Burnley by clinching a 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace on Monday and keeping his team in an unexpected push for European qualification. A three-year wait for a goal ended for Mee with a header from Ashley Westwood’s free kick in the 62nd minute, moving Burnley up to eighth in the English Premier League — seven points from the Champions League places with six games to go. Burnley was without Jay Rodriguez — the match-winner against Watford on Thursday — and due to a lack of options Sean Dyche could replace him with only defender Erik Pieters. “Coming into the night with a depleted squad, with only one senior boy on the bench, and playing like we did tonight, it shows the character, it shows we’re together," Mee told Amazon Prime. “To get a goal is nice. I’ve had chances cleared off the line or good saves so it’s nice to finally get one in. "It wasn’t a great ball from Westy (Westwood), it wasn’t what we worked on but you’ve got...

Serie A: Cristiano Ronaldo-less Juventus held by Benevento; Inter Milan score three past Sassuolo

Milan: Juventus again showed their reliance on Cristiano Ronaldo as, with the superstar attacker absent, they drew 1-1 at promoted Benevento on Saturday, while Serie A title rivals Inter Milan beat high-flying Sassuolo 3-0 to move second. The champions' fifth draw in nine league matches leaves Andrea Pirlo's side fifth, three points behind leaders AC Milan who face Fiorentina on Sunday. Ronaldo did not play after scoring in Juventus's 2-1 victory over Ferencvaros on Tuesday which sealed their berth in the Champions League last 16. "Every team is addicted to Ronaldo, even at Real Madrid he scored a lot," said Pirlo, describing the Portuguese star as "a catalyst". "He is an important player and it's normal that he makes you win games, but even without Ronaldo we have to be good at winning games." Alvaro Morata and Paulo Dybala started up front in Ronaldo's absence, which Pirlo put down to "tiredness". "(Ronaldo) had...