Goa secured a thrilling 3-3 draw against Assam in their final Group A match at the Santosh Trophy at Golden Jubilee Stadium. While the result wasn't the win they were hoping for, it was enough to maintain their unbeaten run and book a well-deserved spot in the knockout stages.

Goa got off to a dream start, with Laximanrao Rane finding the golden boot of Lloyd Cardozo in just the third minute. Cardozo wasted no time, unleashing a powerful shot from outside the box that left the Assamese keeper stranded.

Their lead was further bolstered in the 12th minute by Delton. Leewan Castanha's long ball found Cardozo, who danced past his marker and unleashed a shot that unfortunately rattled the post. However, Delton, demonstrating true striker's instinct, followed up and tapped the rebound into the net.

However, Assam refused to be mere spectators. They pulled one back in the 27th minute through Pragyan Gogoi, after a well-coordinated attack involving Arjun Mardi and Milan. Just before halftime, the duo combined again, with Arjun setting up Sudeepta Konwar, who found the back of the net to leave the scores level at 2-2.

The second half saw Assam take a surprising lead in the 56th minute. Aman Chetri's delightful cross found the unmarked Milan, whose powerful header left Goan keeper Ozen Silva with no chance.

Undeterred, Goa continued their relentless pursuit of an equalizer. Their efforts finally paid off in the 88th minute, with substitute Joshua D'Silva converting a pass from Shridharnath Gawas to send the Goan crowd into raptures.

Goa  now join Services, Kerala, and Assam in the knockout stages.