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New Delhi: FC Goa managed to survive a second half onslaught from Oman's Al Seeb to notch up a 2-1 win in their AFC Champions League Two preliminary stage clash in Margao on Wednesday and qualify for the tournament's group stage.
Goa joined Indian Super League champions Mohun Bagan in the continental tournament's group stage.
Bagan had booked a direct berth through their 2024-25 ISL Shield victory, finishing ahead of Goa, in a record-breaking season.
The group stage draw will be held on Friday.
Dejan Drazic opened the scoring for Goa in the 24th minute with a sublime chip, capitalising on an error form Al Seeb keeper Ahmed Al Rawahi, who needlessly came out of his box and failed to clear the ball.
It snapped the early momentum that Al Seeb tried to buil while giving Goa a shot in the arm as they held onto their one goal lead at halftime.
Al Rawahi was again at fault when Javier Siverio nodded in in the 52nd minute to hand Goa a two-goal lead. The keeper again made a judgement error as he came off his line and was beaten to a looping cross by Siverio, who rose higher to head the ball into the net.
Al Seeb had won the 2022 AFC Cup and it wasn't long before they pulled one goal back. Nasser Al-Rawahi snuck in ahead of his marker in the near pot and guided the ball in from a well co-ordinated move.
Al Seeb then went all out in search of the equaliser, leaving acres of space behind for Goa to exploit. But neither could find the back of the net and Goa lived dangerously and defended valiantly to win and advance to the main round of the competition.
