ISL 2025-26: Pol Moreno and Dejan Drazic Give FC Goa Win Over Mohammedan SC

FC Goa secured their first victory of the Indian Super League 2025-26 season with a comfortable 2-0 win over Mohammedan Sporting Club at the Kishore Bharti Krirangan in Kolkata on Friday, February 20, 2026. Pol Moreno opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a powerful header from Dejan Dražić’s outswinging corner, and the Croatian midfielder doubled the advantage in the 32nd minute by calmly converting a penalty after Udanta Singh was fouled by goalkeeper Subhajit Bhattacharjee.

The victory provisionally lifted FC Goa to the top of the table with four points from two matches under head coach Manolo Márquez, while Mohammedan SC remain without a point after their opening two fixtures. Despite Mohammedan’s swift counter-attacks and a best chance in the 72nd minute when Mahitosh Roy’s close-range effort was brilliantly saved by Hrithik Tiwari, FC Goa’s midfield dominance and clinical finishing in the first half proved decisive.

Match Summary

Mitchell Marsh — no wait, this is football! FC Goa won the toss — sorry, kicked off first — and made one change to their lineup from the 1-1 draw against Inter Kashi. Mohammedan SC were desperate to avoid back-to-back defeats after losing 0-1 to Jamshedpur FC in their season opener. FC Goa struck early when Dražić’s outswinging corner found an unmarked Pol Moreno inside the area, who powered a header past Bhattacharjee. Brison Fernandes nearly doubled the lead moments later with a diving header that beat the goalkeeper but crashed off the upright.

The Gaurs dominated possession and controlled the tempo through midfield, though Mohammedan threatened on the break. Just before the water break, Udanta Singh was fouled in the penalty box by Bhattacharjee, and Dražić stepped up to dispatch the penalty, sending the custodian the wrong way for his second successive penalty conversion of the season.

FC Goa headed into half-time with a 2-0 lead. Mohammedan made three changes at the restart, introducing Fardin Ali Molla, Makan Winkle Chothe and Lalngaihsaka, but FC Goa continued to create chances. The hosts’ best opportunity came in the 72nd minute when Molla’s backheel released Lalthankima, who skipped past Sandesh Jhingan before cutting back for Roy, whose close-range effort was saved by Tiwari. The rebound fell to Chothe six yards out, but he blazed over. FC Goa held on for their first win and first clean sheet of the season.

Match Scorecard

Goals: Pol Moreno 4′, Dejan Dražić 32′ (pen) Player of the Match: Pol Moreno FC Goa head coach: Manolo Márquez Mohammedan SC head coach: Mehrajuddin Wadoo FC Goa position: Top of table (provisionally, 4 points from 2 matches) Mohammedan SC position: 0 points from 2 matches

First Half: FC Goa’s Clinical Start

Moreno Opens Scoring — Fourth-Minute Header

FC Goa struck early, as Dejan Dražić’s outswinging corner found Pol Moreno unmarked inside the area. The defender powered a header past Subhajit Bhattacharjee, leaving the Mohammedan goalkeeper with no chance. It was the perfect start for the Gaurs.

Fernandes Hits the Post

Goa nearly doubled their advantage moments later with another sweeping move. Brison Fernandes, left completely unmarked inside the area, met Boris Singh’s cross with a diving header that beat the goalkeeper, but crashed back into play off the upright.

Midfield Dominance vs Counter-Attack Threat

The visitors dictated the tempo through their dominance in midfield, controlling possession. This was exactly what head coach Manolo Márquez had promised in his pre-match comments: “Maybe we have more quality, but we need to show this quality. If we want to win the game, we need to show it on the pitch.”

However, Mohammedan remained a threat on the break, using swift counter-attacks to unsettle the Goa backline. Mehrajuddin Wadoo’s disciplined, high-energy defensive block was on display, but the hosts lacked the quality striker Wadoo had candidly admitted they were missing: “We are a young and inexperienced side, and lacking a quality striker.”

Dražić Penalty — 2-0 Before Water Break

The Gaurs scored their second just before the water break when Udanta Singh was fouled inside the penalty box by Bhattacharjee. Dražić stepped up and calmly dispatched the resulting penalty, sending the Mohammedan custodian the wrong way. It was his second successive penalty conversion of the season.

Half-Time Assessment

FC Goa maintained control for the remainder of the half and had further opportunities to extend their lead, but a lack of clinical finishing kept the scoreline unchanged as they headed into the break with the two-goal cushion.

Second Half: Mohammedan’s Missed Opportunities

Wadoo’s Triple Substitution

Mohammedan head coach Mehrajuddin Wadoo made three changes at the restart, introducing Md. Fardin Ali Molla, Makan Winkle Chothe and Lalngaihsaka in a bid to shift the momentum. The substitutes injected some energy, creating promising opportunities.

FC Goa Continue to Create

Chances continued to fall Goa’s way. Muhammed Nemil weaved past a couple of defenders before picking out an unmarked Udanta Singh at the far post, but the winger’s side-footed effort was superbly blocked by Sajad Hussain Parray. The defender was called into action again moments later, rising to deny Pol Moreno from the following corner kick.

Nemil drew a sharp save from the goalkeeper with a well-directed header after finding himself free at the far post. Minutes later, Brison Fernandes failed to keep his effort down after being teed up by Moreno’s knockdown from a set-piece.

Mohammedan’s Best Chance — 72nd Minute

Mohammedan fashioned their best chance of the game in the 72nd minute. A clever backheel from Fardin Ali Molla released substitute Lalthankima down the left, and the winger skipped past Sandesh Jhingan before driving into the box. His cutback found Mahitosh Roy, whose effort from close range was saved brilliantly by Hrithik Tiwari.

The rebound fell invitingly to Makan Winkle Chothe, who was only six yards out, but he could only blaze his shot over the crossbar.

Late Chances for Both Sides

Both sides threatened in the closing stages but could not apply the finishing touches to convert those promising moves. Boris Singh blazed over after being picked out by Mohammed Yasir, while at the other end, Fardin Ali Molla, under pressure from Sandesh Jhingan, failed to apply the decisive touch after Lalthankima squared an inviting ball across the six-yard box.

Match-Winning Performance: Pol Moreno

What’s Next

FC Goa will look to build on their first victory and maintain their position at the top of the table as they continue their campaign under Márquez’s possession-based football philosophy. For Mohammedan SC, Wadoo’s side must find solutions in the final third and convert effort into points in front of their home supporters at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan.

In the end, the two-goal cushion proved sufficient as FC Goa secured their first win of the season and walked away with all three points, delivering on Márquez’s promise to show their quality on the pitch.

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