Manolo Marquez’s tenure at FC Goa ended in style as his team lifted the prestigious Kalinga Super Cup with a commanding 3-0 win over Khalid Jamil’s Jamshedpur FC in the final. The win not only secured Goa’s second Super Cup title, but also confirmed their place in the AFC Champions League 2 Qualifiers.
While Marquez had previously guided Goa to consecutive ISL playoff appearances, the silverware had remained elusive until now. In this knockout competition, however, his team delivered a flawless performance.
Jamil, who once famously led Aizawl FC to a historic I-League title, was on the verge of scripting another underdog fairytale. But FC Goa proved to be a hurdle too high, denying Jamshedpur the coveted silverware.
Borja Herrera, who scored the winner in last season’s Super Cup final against East Bengal at the same venue, continued his run of big-game performances. He netted his fourth goal of the tournament and brought his winning touch to Goa’s campaign this time around.
Jamshedpur had not conceded a single goal en route to the final, but Goa broke their resistance in the 23rd minute. Akash Sangwan’s shot from the left was parried by Albino Gomes, but the rebound fell kindly to Borja. His initial attempt was blocked by Eze, but the defender failed to clear the danger. Borja latched onto the loose ball and made no mistake the second time, firing it into the back of the net with composure.
Jamshedpur’s best chance came just before halftime when Javier Siverio set up Lazar Cirkovic from Rei Tachikawa’s corner. However, Cirkovic’s header rattled the crossbar, leaving the Red Miners frustrated.
In the second half, Goa continued to press for a second goal. Their efforts paid off just five minutes after the restart when Borja struck again — this time with a thunderous long-range shot that beat a full-stretched Gomes. The goal stemmed from a defensive lapse, as Jamshedpur allowed Borja too much space outside the box.
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Marquez brought on Jay Gupta and Ayush Dev Chhetri, replacing Borja and Akash, to solidify the midfield and close out the game. Jamshedpur pushed forward in desperation, but their efforts failed to produce results. Instead, they were punished again.
In the 71st minute, Dejan Drazic made it 3-0 against the run of play. Carl McHugh found Drazic with a smart through ball, and the Serbian forward cleverly beat the off-side trap, evaded Javi Hernandez, and calmly slotted past the onrushing Gomes to seal the win.
With Mohun Bagan having already secured a direct spot in the AFC Champions League 2, Goa entering the qualifiers a fitting farewell for their Spanish headmaster, who will now solely focus on India team duties. A victory would confirm their spot in ACL 2, while a defeat would see them drop to the AFC Challenge League — Asia’s third-tier continental competition, which East Bengal participated in last season.