What a night it was at the iconic Salt Lake Stadium! FC Goa came to Kolkata with a clear game plan, executed it with precision, and left with all three points after a commanding 2-0 victory over Mohammedan SC in the 7th match of the Indian Super League 2025-26 season. Goals from Pol Moreno (4′) and Dejan Drazic via penalty (32′) sealed the deal before half-time, leaving the home faithful shell-shocked early on.
Mohammedan SC, fighting on their home turf, put in a spirited effort but were simply outclassed on the night. FC Goa’s movement, intensity, and clinical finishing proved too much to handle for a Mohammedan side that could never truly find their rhythm.
Team Statistics
| STAT | Mohammedan SC | FC Goa |
|---|---|---|
| Shots | 7 | 12 |
| Shots on Target | 4 | 4 |
| Possession | 43% | 57% |
| Fouls | 6 | 7 |
| Yellow Cards | 2 | 2 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
| Offsides | 2 | 0 |
| Corners | 3 | 8 |
Early Sucker Punch: Pol Moreno Strikes In The 4th Minute
The match was barely four minutes old when FC Goa sent a thunderous statement to the home fans. Pol Moreno Sanchez, lining up as Defender #4 for the Gaurs, latched onto a pinpoint delivery from Dejan Drazic and powered a header past Mohammedan keeper Shibinraj Bhattacharjee. That assist from Drazic was a sign of things to come. The Serbian striker was going to be the heartbeat of Goa’s attack all night.
The goal silenced the Salt Lake faithful and put Goa in the driving seat almost immediately. It was the kind of early strike that shattered the home team’s confidence and shifted all the momentum to the visitors. Mohammedan SC now had 86 minutes to respond, but Goa were not going to make it easy.
Yellow Card Mayhem: Three Bookings In 25 Minutes
The match had a feisty edge to it. In the 8th minute, Mohammedan SC’s Roy Mahitosh (Midfielder #52) picked up the first yellow card of the night for a rash challenge, and that set the tone for a combative contest.
Things escalated further when Goa’s Sandesh Jhingan (Defender #3) was cautioned in the 24th minute, with his teammate Ayush Chhetri (Midfielder #14) following him into the book just a minute later in the 25th minute. Three yellow cards in the opening quarter of an hour told you everything you needed to know: this match was being played hard.
Drazic Cools Nerves from the Spot: 2-0 Before Half-Time
If the first goal was a gut punch, the second was a dagger through the heart for Mohammedan SC. In the 32nd minute, FC Goa were awarded a penalty, and up stepped Dejan Drazic (Striker #71), a man who just moments earlier had set up the opener. Calm, composed, and utterly ruthless, Drazic sent the keeper the wrong way to double Goa’s advantage.
Salt Lake Stadium went quiet. A 2-0 deficit with barely half an hour played is a mountain for any team to climb, and the home side now faced a monumental task in the second half. The half-time whistle couldn’t come soon enough for M. Wadoo’s men as Goa went into the break fully in control.
Mohammedan SC Roll The Dice At Half-Time: Triple Change
Manager M. Wadoo came out at half-time with a clear message: this isn’t over yet. He made three changes in one go, introducing Md Fardin Ali Molla (replacing Adison Singh), Lalremsanga Fanai (replacing Lalngaihsaka), and Makan Chothe (replacing Tangva Ragui). Fresh legs, fresh ideas, Mohammedan needed something different, and their manager didn’t hesitate to act.
The away side, however, remained compact and disciplined. FC Goa under M. Marquez had the game management qualities of a seasoned outfit, and they absorbed the second-half pressure without ever looking truly threatened.
Second Half: Goa Hold Firm, Mohammedan Struggle To Break Through
Mohammedan SC came out fighting after the break, but continued to run into a well-organized Goa backline. Their best attempts came from set-pieces and long-range efforts, but the Gaurs’ goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari was equal to everything thrown at him, finishing the game with an equal shots-on-target count (4 each) despite facing fewer shots overall.
Goa continued to threaten on the counter-attack, making good use of the space Mohammedan left behind as they pushed forward. Abdul Rabeeh came on for Muhammed Nemil in the 66th minute to add fresh attacking impetus for the visitors, while Gaurav Bora of Mohammedan received a yellow card at the same time as his side’s second booking of the night.
Daniel Lalhlimpuia replaced Ayush Chhetri in the 79th minute for Goa, before the final changes of the night came in the 88th minute when Mohammad Yasir came on for Sahil Tavora, and Raynier Fernandes replaced Brison Fernandes, both for FC Goa. Mohammedan SC had also used Lalthankima in place of Israfil Dewan at the 72nd-minute mark.
The referee blew his whistle at 90+6′ to signal the end of a dominant FC Goa performance. Mohammedan SC were well-beaten on the night, with no answer to Goa’s early goals. For the Gaurs, this was a statement win, professional, clinical, and controlled from start to finish.
Goal Log
| Minute | Scorer | Team | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4′ | Pol Moreno | FC Goa | Header |
| 32′ | Dejan Drazic | FC Goa | Penalty |
Starting Line-ups
Mohammedan SC (4-3-3)
GK: Shibinraj Bhattacharjee (#31) | DEF: H. Mondal (#20), H.P. Sajad (#6), Gaurav Bora (#4), P.D. Meitei (#3) | MID: Roy Mahitosh (#52), Tangva Ragui (#40), A. Singh (#8) | FWD: Israfil Dewan (#30), Lalremsanga Fanai (#29), Adison Singh (#17)
FC Goa (5-4-1)
GK: Hrithik Tiwari (#55) | DEF: A. Sangwan (#27), U. Singh (#21), B. Singh Thangjam (#17), Pol Moreno (#4), Sandesh Jhingan (#3) | MID: Dejan Drazic (#71), Sahil Tavora (#15), Ayush Chhetri (#14), Brison Fernandes (#7) | FWD: M. Nemil (#44)
Managers:
Mohammedan SC: M. Wadoo | FC Goa: M. Marquez
Key Match Moments
4′ — POL MORENO HEADER! Drazic plays a perfectly weighted ball into the box, and Moreno times his run to perfection, powering a header past the keeper. Goa lead 0-1!
8′ — Roy Mahitosh of Mohammedan SC picks up the first yellow card of the night for a foul in midfield.
24′ — Sandesh Jhingan cautioned as the Goa defender becomes the second name in the book.
25′ — Ayush Chhetri also booked for Goa, three yellows already in the first 25 minutes!
32′ — PENALTY! DRAZIC STEPS UP AND SENDS THE KEEPER THE WRONG WAY! FC Goa extend their lead to 0-2!
46′ — Mohammedan SC make three substitutions at half-time. Fardin Ali Molla, Lalngaihsaka, and Makan Chothe all come on.
66′ — Abdul Rabeeh on for Muhammed Nemil for Goa. Gaurav Bora booked for Mohammedan SC.
72′ — Lalthankima replaces Israfil Dewan for Mohammedan SC.
79′ — Daniel Lalhlimpuia on for Ayush Chhetri for FC Goa.
88′ — Double substitution for Goa: Yasir on for Tavora; Raynier Fernandes on for Brison Fernandes.
90+6′ — Full Time. Mohammedan SC 0-2 FC Goa.
Conclusion: FC Goa Secure Comfortable 2–0 Victory
FC Goa were utterly brilliant tonight. Their game plan was perfect: strike early, kill the crowd’s energy, and hold on. Pol Moreno’s header and Dejan Drazic’s clinical penalty did exactly that within the first 32 minutes. Manager M. Marquez will be delighted with the discipline and composure his team showed, especially in the second half when Mohammedan pushed hard to get back into the game.
For Mohammedan SC and M. Wadoo, it’s back to the drawing board. The concession of two early goals on home soil was simply too much to overcome. A better start in the next match is absolutely essential if they are to keep pace in the ISL race.
FC Goa, meanwhile, looks like a team on the rise this season. Watch out for Dejan Drazic, the striker is in sensational form, both as a scorer and a creator. The Gaurs are flying!
