FC Goa defeat Al Seeb to seal AFC Champions League Two group stage berth

Margao (Goa) [India], August 14 (ANI): FC Goa sealed their spot in the AFC Champions League Two 2025-26 Group Stage after staving off a late fightback from Al Seeb Club of Oman to walk away with a 2-1 win in their Preliminary Stage tie on Wednesday at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Dejan Drazic and Javier Siverio scored for FC Goa, and the Gaurs will now wait to discover their Group Stage opponents on Friday, as per a press release from AIFF.

Al Seeb started aggressively, testing FC Goa as early as the second minute with Nasser Al Rawahi forcing defender Pol Moreno into an acrobatic clearance, while Zahir Al Aghbari's follow-up from inside the box was blocked.

The home side took time to settle and could have broken the deadlock in the ninth minute when Drazic broke free on the left, but with only the keeper to beat, the midfielder's soft shot was easily collected by Ahmed Al Rawahi.

Al Rawahi was in the thick of things again for Al Seeb in the 23rd minute when his timely tackle opened up space to set up Abdul Aziz Al Muqbali, whose curling effort was parried away by FC Goa keeper Hrithik Tiwari.

Al Seeb, the 2022 AFC Cup winners, reduced the deficit at the hour mark through Nasser Al Rawahi's strike from close range off Ali Al Busaidi's cutback, but that was to be it as FC Goa became the second Indian side to book their spot in this season's Group Stage after 2024-25 ISL Shield Winners Mohun Bagan Super Giant.

The Gaurs and the Mariners will discover their Group Stage opponents after the draw on August 15. (ANI)

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