ISL 2025-26: Drazic Penalty Rescues FC Goa as Inter Kashi’s Debut Grit Earns a Draw

ISL 2025-26 newcomers Inter Kashi marked their debut in India’s top-flight football league with a thoroughly earned 1-1 draw against AIFF Super Cup champions FC Goa in Match 2 of the Indian Super League 2025-26 at the PJN Stadium in Fatorda, Goa, on February 14, 2026. Prasanth Karuthadathkuni’s composed left-footed finish in the second minute of first-half stoppage time gave the Varanasi-based debutants a stunning lead that they defended with enormous determination.

Dejan Dražić’s calmly converted penalty in the 84th minute rescued a point for the Gaurs, but Inter Kashi’s ten men — reduced after goalkeeper Lluis Tarrés received a red card — held firm to the end. FC Goa had the lion’s share of possession throughout, created the clearer chances, and pushed furiously for a winner in the closing minutes, but Inter Kashi’s collective discipline was ultimately too resolute to be broken.

Match Summary

FC Goa welcomed ISL 2025-26 with expectation — a 12th season, defending their Super Cup title, and the home crowd at Fatorda behind them. Inter Kashi arrived as I-League champions, coached by Antonio Lopez Habas, and with nothing to fear. The match delivered a compelling narrative: Inter Kashi’s organised defending soaked up FC Goa’s patient possession play for large stretches before a moment of clinical attacking football just before the break gave the visitors their dream lead. FC Goa’s persistence eventually earned its reward through the penalty spot, but the Gaurs could not find a winner against a ten-man side that refused to yield.

Match Result

First Half: Inter Kashi Strike at the Death (0–1)

An Even and Energetic Opening

The match began at a brisk, high-intensity tempo. From the first whistle, both sides showed intent. Inter Kashi’s Alfred Planas tested FC Goa goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari early, forcing him into action and immediately establishing the ISL debutants as an attacking threat. At the other end, FC Goa’s Brison Fernandes forced a sharp save from Kashi keeper Lluis Tarrés, who was alert and commanding between the sticks.

Inter Kashi also demonstrated danger from set-pieces. Rohit Danu’s effort from a dead-ball situation was saved, and Narender Gahlot’s follow-up attempt was blocked inside the six-yard area. It was a sign that the I-League champions had arrived with a well-drilled game plan and the collective quality to execute it.

FC Goa Take Control

As the half progressed, FC Goa gradually asserted dominance, moving the ball with patience and probing through the flanks in the manner that has become their trademark under manager Manolo Marquez. The visitors, Inter Kashi, dropped into a more structured defensive shape and began absorbing the Gaurs’ pressure.

The clearest chance of the half came in the 34th minute, when Muhammed Nemil found space inside the box and struck a left-footed shot that Tarrés tipped over impressively. It was a superb save that kept the match level and, in hindsight, proved pivotal in the course of the game. FC Goa continued to press, and the first half appeared destined to end goalless.

Prasanth’s Stunning Stoppage-Time Strike

Then, in the second minute of first-half stoppage time, Inter Kashi delivered a sucker punch. It was a move that caught FC Goa entirely off guard. Rohit Danu made an incisive run to exploit space in behind, finding the run of Prasanth Karuthadathkuni with a perfectly-weighted pass. Assisted by Tomba Singh’s involvement in the build-up, Prasanth made a perfectly-timed run into the box and applied a composed left-footed finish into the bottom right corner, lobbing it beyond Hrithik Tiwari to stun the home side and the Fatorda crowd.

It was the perfect end to the first half for the Warriors of Kashi — a clinical, well-constructed goal on the brink of halftime that gave the debutants a lead their spirited defensive work and set-piece threat had hinted at deserving.

First Half Summary

Second Half: FC Goa Press, Red Card, Penalty, and a Resolute Rearguard

FC Goa Turn Up the Heat

FC Goa returned from the break with renewed urgency and pushed higher up the pitch, stretching Inter Kashi’s backline in search of an equaliser. Manager Manolo Marquez made an attacking change at the break, bringing on Abdul Rabeeh for Prachit Vishwas. The introduction of fresh legs injected more directness into FC Goa’s play.

Udanta Singh tested Tarrés from distance near the hour mark. Nemil and Brison Fernandes continued to probe for openings as the Gaurs maintained sustained pressure. Sandesh Jhingan’s header drifted wide. Dražić, FC Goa’s key attacking threat, had a chance curl just past the far post after cutting in from the flank, and later saw an angled effort saved superbly by Tarrés at the 75th minute — the goalkeeper diving full stretch to keep Inter Kashi’s lead intact.

Inter Kashi made a double substitution — Nishchal, forced off with injury, was replaced by Wayne Vaz, and Petkevicius came off for Humanes — to reinforce their defensive structure in the closing stages. Marquez responded with another attacking change, bringing on Sahil Tavora to increase attacking options.

The Red Card and the Penalty

The turning point of the match arrived in the 80th minute. Nemil drove into the Inter Kashi penalty area and was fouled inside the box, earning FC Goa a penalty. The incident carried an even more dramatic consequence for Inter Kashi: goalkeeper Lluis Tarrés, who had been outstanding throughout the match, was judged to have committed a last-man tackle on Nemil and was shown a red card, reducing the visitors to ten men.

Inter Kashi were forced into an emergency change, bringing on substitute goalkeeper Shubham Dhas immediately to face the awarded penalty. Dražić, coolly and without hesitation, stepped up and dispatched the spot-kick into the bottom left corner to make it 1-1. The equaliser was his first goal in the ISL 2025-26 league season, and earned him the Player of the Match award.

The Gaurs Push in Vain

With ten men to defend against in the final ten minutes, FC Goa had every advantage. They pressed with everything they had. In stoppage time, Pol Moreno’s close-range header was kept out by the newly-arrived Shubham Dhas — a crucial save from the substitute keeper on his first real test. Raynier Fernandes headed over from a dangerous position as FC Goa launched one last offensive wave. But Inter Kashi, reduced to ten men and defending their debut ISL point, remained compact, organised and resolute to the final whistle.

Second Half Key Events

Key Performers

Dejan Dražić — Player of the Match

Prasanth Karuthadathkuni

Lluis Tarrés

Shubham Dhas

Starting Lineups

FC Goa

Inter Kashi

ISL 2025-26 Context

The result was a significant milestone for Inter Kashi — the Varanasi-based club that won the 2024-25 I-League title and was promoted to the ISL 2025-26. Coached by the experienced Antonio Lopez Habas, who has won two ISL Cups, an ISL Shield, and the I-League since arriving in India in 2014, Inter Kashi came into the game not merely as participants but as genuine competitors. Earning a point against the reigning AIFF Super Cup champions on the road, in their very first ISL appearance, underlined the quality and organisation that Habas has instilled in the side.

For FC Goa, the draw was a frustrating outcome after dominating large portions of the match and enjoying far more of the ball. Manager Manolo Marquez’s side created the clearer opportunities across the ninety minutes but were undone by a clinical away goal, a strong goalkeeper display from Tarrés, and ultimately had to rely on a penalty and a red card to level.

Read More: ISL 2025-26: Maclaren and Aldred Fire Mohun Bagan to 2-0 Victory vs Kerala Blasters in Opener

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