Internet Desk: Delhi Dynamos FC dished out a 5-1 humbling to FC Goa in front of over 18,000 fans in their 2016 Hero Indian Super League encounter at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday evening. Fulganco Cardozo gave Goa the lead in the 31st minute but Marcelinho cancelled out his strike seven minutes later. The second half turned out to be the Marcelinho show as he scored three minutes after the restart before setting up Richard Gadze for his first goal in the 51stminute. Marcelinho completed his hat-trick in the 56th minute with Gadze bagging his brace a minute later.
Delhi registered the first shot of the game on target in the eighth minute when Marcelinho played Gadze in on goal. The Ghanaian shot at goal but Raju Gaikwad managed to get a block in for Goa and thwarted the danger. Marcelinho then weaved his magic a minute later as he danced past Goa’s backline effortlessly before shooting into the side-netting.
Goa’s first shot on target came in the 21st minute after Sahil Tavora ran at the Dynamos’ defence before shooting with his left foot and forcing Soram Poirei into a save. They took the lead 10 minutes later when Julio Cesar went in on goal and forced Poirei off his line.
The Brazilian rounded Poirei before getting his shot away but the Delhi custodian managed to get a touch on the ball. However, Cardozo followed up on the rebound to tap into an open net from inside the six-yard box and make it 1-0 for the visitors.
Delhi responded immediately and forced Laxmikanth Kattimani into two saves in quick succession in the 33rd minute courtesy of long range efforts from Gadze and Marcelinho. They were level five minutes later after a smart free-kick by Florent Malouda put Marcelinho clear of Goa’s defence and the Brazilian finished emphatically to make it 1-1 going into the break.
Delhi took the lead three minutes after the restart with a jaw-dropping strike from distance by Marcelinho. The Brazilian controlled a loose ball and steadied himself before unleashing a thunderous shot from distance that kissed the inside of the post before finding its way into the back of the net.
Marcelinho continued wreaking havoc on Goa’s defence and provided the assist for Delhi’s third goal. The Brazilian picked up the ball near the halfway line before driving at Goa defence and playing Gadze through on goal. The Ghanaian beat Kattimani at his near post with a clinical finish to make it 3-1.
Marcelinho then went on to complete his hat-trick in the 56th minute after controlling a long ball expertly before turning Debabrata Roy inside out and slotting it past Kattimani with his right foot for Delhi’s fourth of the night.
The Lions made it 5-1 a minute later with Gadze scoring his second after controlling Marcos Tebar’s ball and hustling past Goa’s defence to finish with poise and elegance for his fifth goal of the season. Delhi maintained their stranglehold on the game in the last 30 minutes of the match as Goa struggled to get on the ball.
Cesar had an opportunity to pull one back for Goa 10 minutes from time when the Gaurs were awarded a direct free-kick in a threatening area. Cesar’s shot though failed to test Poirei, who was a spectator for much of the second half. Kean Lewis could have made it 6-1 late in the game but his attempt trickled wide of goal as Delhi maintained their unbeaten record at home this year with their biggest win of the season.