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Istiklol produced a second-half fightback to edge FC Goa 2-1 in the last AFC Champions League Two 2025-26 Group D match at the PJN Stadium in Margao, Goa, as per the official website of the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
The result meant that FC Goa finished bottom of the group with zero points from six matches in their first-ever appearance in the AFC Champions League Two. The home side, yet to register a point, took the lead in the eighth minute with Dejan Drazic finding space inside the box before finishing superbly with a curling effort into the top right corner. Istiklol responded seven minutes later with Amirbek Juraboev testing FC Goa keeper Lara Sharma from a distance, while Siavash Haghnazari tried to lob the ball over Sharma a minute later from Paul Komolafe's setup, only to see his shot crash against the bar. FC Goa came close to doubling their lead moments later when Iker Guarrotxena forced Nikola Stosic to tip away his stinging shot from a distance. The Spanish forward then sent his headed attempt from the resulting corner over the bar. Istiklol threatened from a distance through Ehsoni Panjshanbe and Marlen Chobanov before Komolafe angled his headed attempt right into the arms of Sharma in the first-half stoppage time. The Tajikistan side came back fighting in the second half, with Komolafe latching onto Harsh Patre's poor backpass before rounding off Sharma to level the tie in the 53rd minute. Another defensive lapse saw the Indian Super League side fall behind after Pol Moreno conceded a penalty for a handball, with Amirbek Juraboev converting from the spot in the 56th minute. FC Goa tried their best to respond, but efforts from Brison Fernandes and Guarrotxena failed to find the mark as Istiklol held on to seal the win. (ANI)
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