FC Goa made history on Wednesday by becoming the first Indian club ever to qualify for the group stage of the AFC Champions League.
The Gaurs thrashed Jamshedpur FC 5-0 in their Indian Super League tie in Jamshedpur to achieve the unprecedented feat.
Ferran Corominas, Hugo Boumous, Jackichand Singh and Mourtada Fall were on the scoresheet to see Goa consolidate the top spot in ISL table with 39 points, six ahead of second-placed ATK, who have just one match left to play.
The top team at the end of the league stage of ISL has been guaranteed a berth in the 2021 AFC Champions League and hence FC Goa will make it to Asia’s top-tier club competition.
Notably, Indian clubs like Mohun Bagan and East Bengal have played in the Asian Club Championships but no team from the country has ever played in the group stage of AFC Champions League since its introduction in 2002.
With the ISL having been recognised as the top-tier league in the country by the All India Football Federation, its top team in the league phase will represent India in the prestigious AFC Champions League.
Though I-League champions used to play in the preliminary/play-off rounds of the AFC Champions League till this ongoing season, none have been able to qualify for the group stage.
It is worth noting that the member associations of AFC ranking 7th to 10th in both West and East Zones get one direct slot in the group stage of the top Asian league. India were at the eighth spot in the West Zone as per the ranking system issued in November 2019.
(With agency inputs)