FC Goa suffered a 2-1 defeat to FC Istiklol in their final AFC Champions League Two group match, ending the campaign without a win. The Gaurs staged a silent protest at kick-off to highlight uncertainties in the Indian Super League. Despite an early lead, defensive errors led to their downfall at Fatorda Stadium.
The match took place on December 24, 2025, at 9:30 PM IST at Fatorda Stadium in Margao, Goa. As the referee blew the whistle for kick-off, FC Goa's players remained stationary, refusing to engage in play as a symbolic gesture to draw attention to the deepening uncertainty in the Indian football ecosystem, particularly the future of the Indian Super League.
Play eventually resumed, and FC Goa took an early lead in the 8th minute through midfielder Dejan Drazic, who cut in from the left and placed a shot into the net. The first half ended 1-0 in favor of the home side.
In the second half, FC Istiklol mounted a comeback. Paul Komolafe equalized in the 53rd minute, capitalizing on defensive lapses. Three minutes later, a penalty was awarded to Istiklol following another error, which Amirbek Juraboev converted to make it 2-1.
FC Istiklol's Sodikdzhon Kurbonov received a second yellow card in the 74th minute, reducing his team to 10 players. However, FC Goa could not capitalize on the numerical advantage. The final score remained 1-2 after four minutes of stoppage time.
This loss marked FC Goa's sixth straight defeat in the group stage, with no points earned. The team was depleted, missing players like David Timor (suspended), Borja Herrera and Ayush Chhetri (suspended), Sandesh Jhingan and Ronney Wilson (injured), and Javier Siverio (transferred). Earlier in the tournament, Istiklol had beaten FC Goa 2-0 in Tajikistan with goals from Rustam Soirov and Reza Dehghani.
The defeat eliminated both teams, with Al-Zawraa advancing on goal difference after a 5-1 loss to Al-Nassr.
