FC Goa snatched a dramatic point against Sporting Club Delhi after Alex Vallejo scored deep into stoppage time to secure a 1-1 draw in their Indian Super League (ISL) 2026-27 encounter at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Wednesday.
Sporting Club Delhi appeared set to walk away with all three points following Juan Peña’s second-half strike, but Vallejo’s late intervention ensured the hosts avoided defeat in front of their home supporters.
Returning to domestic action after their exit from the AFC Challenge League, FC Goa began the contest with attacking intent and dominated much of the opening half.
The home side created several opportunities and registered six shots before the interval, while Sporting Club Delhi managed just one attempt during the same period.
Despite Goa’s attacking pressure, neither team managed to break the deadlock in the first 45 minutes, leaving the contest evenly poised heading into the second half.
However, Sporting Club Delhi returned from the break with renewed energy and quickly turned the match in their favour.
Tomas Tchorz’s men took the lead in the 51st minute after capitalising on a costly mistake from Udanta Singh.
The Goa player misplaced a back pass, allowing Rodriguinho to intercept the ball and surge forward. He then played a pass to Juan Peña on his right, and the attacker calmly finished past goalkeeper Bob Raj, with Vallejo also unable to prevent the goal.
The breakthrough put the visitors in control as Goa struggled to find an immediate response.
With the match entering its closing stages, Sporting Club Delhi looked increasingly confident of securing a narrow victory.
But the contest took a dramatic turn in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time.
Franchu delivered a free-kick into the penalty area, where the ball took a slight deflection off Tomba Singh before falling kindly for Vallejo.
The defender made no mistake from the opportunity, firing into the net to restore parity and deny Sporting Club Delhi what appeared to be a certain victory.
The late equaliser sparked relief for the home side while leaving the visitors frustrated after coming so close to securing maximum points.
FC Goa will now look to build on the result when they face bottom-placed Inter Kashi on November 1.
Sporting Club Delhi, meanwhile, will travel to Mumbai for their next fixture against an injury-hit Islanders side led by Manolo Marquez, who previously coached the Delhi club during its time in Hyderabad.
Image credits: Ashley Allen/ Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
