East Bengal 1-2 FC Goa: Edu Bedia wins it for Gaurs at the death as hosts slump to second defeat | ISL 2022-23

FC Goa left it until one of the very last kicks of the game to beat East Bengal 2-1 in their 2022-23 Indian Super League (ISL) opener on Wednesday (October 12).

The Gaurs were the better team from the start of the contest in the Red and Gold Brigade's first-ever ISL match at the Salt Lake Stadium. Carlos Pena's side overwhelmed the hosts on the flanks, with one of their overloads leading to the opening goal.

Some neat interplay in midfield saw Goa work the ball to Alvaro Vazquez on the left. The forward quickly lobbed the ball over an onrushing defender to Brandon Fernandes, who had peeled away into space in the box.

Fernandes took the ball in his stride and went past a poor tackle attempt from Ivan Gonzalez before delicately chipping the ball over Kamaljit Singh.

Having opened their season's tally through their skipper, the Gaurs grew from strength to strength as the first half progressed. Fernandes and Vazquez combined once again to set up a glorious chance for Redeem Tlang, but he volleyed wide from point-blank range.

They also threatened from set-pieces as Edu Bedia repeatedly tried to score an Olympic goal directly from a corner. Vazquez created a chance of his own later in the half after latching onto a ball over the top with a delicious first touch before forcing a save from Kamaljit.

East Bengal, meanwhile, constructed a few decent moves in midfield but repeatedly gave the ball away. Their only real chance of the half came from a Cleiton Silva free-kick, which Dheeraj Singh punched away with relative ease.

At half-time, the match seemed to be heading only one way and that didn't really please the gathering at the Salt Lake Stadium. However, East Bengal were still in the game as they were only a goal down.

---

East Bengal improve in second half but fail to hold on as FC Goa pick up all three points

Having struggled to match FC Goa's quality in the first half, Constantine threw on Naorem Mahesh Singh and Sarthak Golui at half-time. Off came Tuhin Das and Sumeet Passi, with the latter struggling on the left side of defense before the break.

Mahesh Singh and Golui made an instant impact on the game as the Red and Gold Brigade worked their way into the game. They unsettled the Goa defense with the added help of some vociferous support from the home fans. Cleiton Silva and VP Suhair, the hosts' biggest threats, saw a lot more of the ball.

East Bengal ultimately got their get-out-of-jail card in the 64th minute. Left-back Jerry Lalrinzuala sent a glorious cross-field pass that took out the entire Gaurs backline to find Suhair on the edge of the box.

The winger took a touch to take the ball past Dheeraj, who fouled him and conceded a spot-kick. Silva stepped up to take it and made no mistake, rolling the ball into the bottom corner to level the scores.

Both teams tightened up defensively from there on, with Marc Valiente and Lal Chungnunga impressing for Goa and East Bengal, respectively. The Red and Gold Brigade pushed on for an equalizer and came close on a couple of occasions. The Gaurs, meanwhile, worked more on the counter and forced a few vital interceptions and blocks.

Despite the chances, the match looked destined for a stalemate as it entered the final minute of stoppage time and was desperately waiting for a moment of magic. This ultimately came from Bedia, who was one of Goa's best players on the night. The midfielder won a foul off former teammate Gonzalez in the Gaurs' midfield third.

Bedia launched the free-kick with the perfect amount of whip and pace on it into the box. It went through the litany of players from both teams before bouncing right in front of Kamaljit and nestling in the top corner.

In a game of two halves that saw plenty of quality from both sides, the Gaurs ultimately came out on top thanks to some sheer quality and a hint of luck.

The result meant Goa broke their winless streak at the Salt Lake Stadium in their seventh attempt and opened their ISL 2022-23 campaign with a precious away win. East Bengal, meanwhile, slumped to their second defeat in a row despite a markedly improved display from their opening night defeat.