ISL 2019-20: Hugo Boumous fires FC Goa past Kerala Blasters

FC Goa squandered a two-goal lead against Kerala Blasters but went on to win the encounter 3-2 at the Fatorda stadium in Goa, on Saturday.

Hugo Boumous' double (26', 83') was the talking point of the Indian Super League (ISL) tie in which Messi Bouli (53') and Batholomew Ogbeche (69') brought the match level at 2-2 at one stage with Goa's Jackichand Singh (45+1') finding the net for the first time this season.

Sergio Lobera was back to his most consistent FC Goa first 11 with Brandon Fernandes back from suspension besides Jackichand replacing Seiminlen Doungel and Manvir Singh on either wings.

For Kerala Blasters, Eelco Schattorie chose to start with Seityasen Singh, Sergio Cidoncha and Raju Gaikwad in place of Sahal Samad, Mario Arques and the suspended Abdul Hakku.

Ferran Corominas toe-poked a through ball by Hugo Boumous past Rehenesh Paramba but was adjudged off-side in the ninth minute, a little before Messi Bouli horribly mistimed his header from around the six yard area off Jessel Carneiro's cross on the opposite end.

Sportzpics

Rehenesh conceded a corner from a half chance that befell Corominas and the resultant corner taken by Brandon was headed cleanly by an unmarked Mourtada Fall. However, to be dug out right in front of goalline by Ogbeche who was in-turn earlier marshalled by the Goan defender when Moustapha Gning had found him in the Goa box.

26 minutes in, Goa eventually bagged the opener with Brandon playing it long for Mandar Rao Dessai on the left. The Goan skipper's low delivery was good enough to beat Vlatko Drobarov as Boumous stood by to tap in. And doubling the lead at half-time, it was Jackichand who stuck out his right foot to deflect Corominas' delivery from the right into the far corner.

The pair of Ogbeche and Messi nearly drew level inside the opening 10 minutes of the second half with Fall dealing with the latter on one occasion, only after the Cameroonian had already plugged in once when Ogbeche flicked in the ball over Fall and Carlos Pena from a move initiated by Seityasen.

Pressure started building up as Corominas was left reeling at Jackichand who chose to go for goal and shot wide instead of finding the Spaniard open in front of goal, and it got worse for Goa as Ogbeche was pleased to be unnoted to nod in Cindoncha's flag-kick in the 69th minute.

In the end, Boumous took it on himself to bring things under control with a first time volley against Ahmed Jahouh's floated delivery inside the Kerala box in the 83rd minute to reclaim Goa's top spot.

FC Goa have now played as many games as Bengaluru FC (25 points) and a leading the standings by two points while Kerala Blasters lie eighth with 14 points from as many games.