PLAY- OFF CHANCES ALIVE

Pune, Feb. 25: Leading goal scorer Ferran Corominas struck twice in the second half as FC Goa routed 10- man FC Pune City 4- 0, keeping their Indian Super League play- off hopes alive here on Sunday.

Needing a victory to stay in the hunt for the last four stage, Goa led 1- 0 in the first half lead through a penalty converted by Spaniard Manuel Lanzarote ( 28th minute).

The floodgates opened in the second half as Frenchman Hugo Boumous ( 47th) and Spaniard Corominas ( 58th and 65th, penalty) added gloss to the scoreline, ending their fivegame winless streak. The goals took Corominas’ tally to 15 in the tournament.

Pune’s Marcelinho was shown the red card in the 80th after being booked twice in the match. The Brazilian, who has scored eight times, will not be available for their next fixture away against Delhi Dynamos on March 2.

The resounding victory, which was also Goa’s first clean sheet this season, lifted them to sixth with 24 points from 16 matches while Pune remained second with 29 from 17 outings.

In an action- filled first half at the Shiv Chatrapathi complex, Goa were awarded a spot kick when Adil Kah tripped Hugo Boumous inside the penalty area as he was about to connect a cross from Carominas. Lanzarote then converted the penalty calmly.

Goa enjoyed an upper hand in the first half thanks to the fluid combination of Boumos and Corominas, who laid a superb pass for the former to score their second goal. Corominas himself scored the next two goals, making a brilliant run on the right, cut past a defender and then slotted the ball home from an acute angle.