FC Goa lost their AFC Challenge League opening match 1-2 to Tajikistan's FC Regar-TadAZ. Chiki scored early for Goa, but a late brace from Faridun Davlatov in the 85th and 90th minutes secured a comeback victory for the Tajik club.
FC Goa Loses Opener After Late Drama
FC Regar-TadAZ of Tajikistan came from behind to defeat FC Goa 2-1 in the opening match in Group C of the AFC Challenge League 2026-27 at the Mohammed Al Hamad Stadium, Hawally, Kuwait, on Saturday.
AIFF Super Cup champions Goa couldn’t have asked for a better start, going ahead after seven minutes when Chiki received the ball in the middle of the box and fired past Severin Takam without much fuss, as per the AIFF website.
Regar-TadAZ had chances to equalise, but Manuel Mbollo blazed an effort on the edge of the box high before Nozim Babajanov’s near-post strike was well covered by Goa custodian Bob Jackson. At the other end, Jorge Ortiz went for a spectacular 30-yard strike in the 21st minute, which sailed just over before he broke through on goal six minutes later but was denied by Ndongo Foe’s last-ditch challenge.
In the 56th minute, the substitutes were in direct confrontation with Lara coming out on top to parry away Khaitov’s low curler from just outside the box.
The Central Asian side were lucky to escape going down to 10 men on the hour mark when Foe’s lunging challenge on Ortiz was only deemed worthy of a yellow card by referee Wissam Rabie.
Tajik Side Stages Stunning Comeback
Regar-TadAZ kept plugging on, and they were rewarded with the equaliser in the 85th minute when Abdurakhmon Nozimov released Faridun Davlatov into space to unleash an unstoppable shot into the top corner.
The same two combined to score the winner on the stroke of 90 minutes. Nozimov’s corner delivery was met with a Davlatov header to complete their comeback.
FC Goa will next face Bangladesh’s Fortis FC on Tuesday. (ANI)
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