Goa Professional League Roundup – Matchday 20

Dempo Sports Club tops the Goa Professional League table with 38 points, while Goan FC dropped two points against Velsao SCC to take their total to 36. Sporting Clube de Goa registered important wins to climb upto third place and are on 35 points. Nim Lepcha scored four goals in 18 minutes to help Velsao decimate Bardez FC.

10-man Dempo overcome Panjim challenge

Dempo Sports Club consolidated their position at the top of the Goa Professional League with a 2-1 win over Panjim Footballers at Dempo SC’s Academy Ground at Ella, Old Goa.

The home team went ahead in the 22nd minute through Pedro Gonsalves and looked set to be on their way to overcome their opponent. However, the match took an interesting turn when Naveen Mandes received his second yellow card in the 40th minute to give Panjim the numerical advantage.

The second session saw the Capital city side start strongly and make the numerical advantage count when Daryl Costa equalized in the 51st minute.

The five-time national league champion dug deep to stay in the match and play on the counter. As Panjim looked for the winner, Kirtikesh Gadekar landed the sucker punch in the 85th minute to score the winner for the Golden Eagles and maintain their position at the top with 38 points.

Meanwhile, Panjim Footballers are on 14 points in 10th place.

Beevan D’Mello the golden boy for the Golden Eagles

Earlier in the week, Beevan D’Mello scored a hattrick to enable Dempo SC beat Calangute Association 5-0.

Beevan opened the scoring in the 24th minute after rounding the onrushing keeper, to score the first. Eight minutes later, he headed in his second before completing his hattrick in the 40th minute when he nodded home a corner kick to give Dempo SC a 3-0 lead at the break.

Crossing over, the Golden Eagles continued their dominance over the struggling Calangute Association and scored the fourth through Pedro Gonsalves, whose curling shot from outside the box landed in the far corner before he completed his brace in the dying minutes of the game to take the final tally to 5-0.

Lalawmpuia the hero as Goan FC overcome Calangute

A brace from Lalawmpuia helped Goan FC register a 2-1 win over Calangute Association at the Duler Stadium.

The Young Gaurs settled the nerves with a goal in the third minute. A curling freekick by Liston Colaco was headed by Lalawmpuia. A few minutes later, Liston was the center of the action when his corner delivery was met by Lalhmangaihsanga, but the header went wide.

The dominant start resulted in the second goal in the 32nd minute. Calangute’s defender, Runal Shirodkar, brought down Kapil Hoble which resulted in a penalty. Lalawmpuia stepped up to make it 2-0.

After the break, Calangute hit back almost immediately. Dominic’s run and cross from the right found Jaison Lucas, who made no mistake to make it 2-1 in the 49th minute.

Goan FC hit back with Lalawmpuia missing a chance to score his hattrick off a Princeton freekick, while Liston’s freekick found Meldon D’Silva in the box. Calangute keeper Sanij Bugde was at hand on both occasions.

Lalawmpuia should have made it 3-1 when Liston’s run and found the forward with a chance to score his third, but the young Mizo failed to keep his shot on target from six yards.

Calangute’s Senegalese striker Abdoul had the opportunity to level the scores but he failed to hit the target from point-blank range.

The match had a fiery end when Dominic threw the ball on Lalawmpuia who in responded by throwing the ball back at the on the Calangute skipper’s face. This was followed by Calangute manager, Uday Lingudkar, getting was sent off for dissent.

This win helped Goan to climb to the 2nd place with 36 points, while Calangute is struggling at 11th position with just 13 points.

Stalemate as Velsao frustrate Goan FC 

Velsao Sports and Cultural Club successfully managed to hold Goan FC to a 0-0 draw at SAG Ground, Utorda. Velsao defended deep and played on the counter – a ploy which frustrated the Young Gaurs.

The visitors were without their key players, Liston Colaco and Princeton Rebello, a decision which went against Goan FC which struggled to break through the resolute Velsao defense. The home side kept the ball away from their penalty area and forced development side of FC Goa to build their attack from the back.

Goan FC did create a couple of chances to score in the closing stages of the game. Kapil Hoble’s ball to Lalawmpuia had the striker shooting wide. In additional time, Lalawmpuia’s shot from a tight angle deflected off a Velsao player and the ball hit the crossbar.

Much to the dismay of the Goan FC, the club was held to a frustrating draw which threw open the title race wide open.

Marcus Mascarenhas brace helps Sporting occupy the third spot

Marcus Mascarenhas scored a brace as Sporting Clube de Goa registered a 3-1 win over Calangute Association at the Duler Stadium, Mapusa.

In an entertaining first half, the home side conceded a penalty in the seventh when Clive Miranda brought down Senegalese striker Abdoul Fall in the box. Midfielder Sidath Ndiaye stepped up to the spot only to be denied by keeper Melroy Fernandes.

The Flaming Orange did go ahead in the 25th minute, Marcus Mascarenhas tapping in a cross. Five minutes later it was 2-0. Victorino took on the Calangute Association defense and dribbled past his marker and the keeper before slotting the ball home.

With just a few minutes left to the half time, Sporting had an easy chance to score the third when Calangute defender Gaurav Vaigankar brought down Stendly Fernandes in the box to give away the penalty. However, Calangute keeper, Sanij Bugde, denied Sporting skipper, Victorino, with a diving effort.

To compound the miss, Calangute Association pulled a goal back second before the breather. Sachidanand was played on goal by Ndiaye and the winger with his pace finished the move to make it 2-1.

The pace dropped in the second half and Sporting put the game to bed in the 82nd minute. Marcus chested down Girish Naik’s lobbed pass and blasted the ball home from six yards to make it 3-1.

Sporting Clube de Goa are in the third spot with 35 points, while Calangute Association remains on 13 points.

Guardian Angel frustrate Sporting

Earlier in the week, a spirited display by Guardian Angel Sports Club held Sporting Clube de Goa to a goalless draw at the Navelim Football Ground.

Poor finishing and gutsy defending was the bane for the Sporting side who had the chance to open the scoring early in the match when Victorino Fernandes set up Stanley Fernandes with a square pass. The U-20 failed to tap the ball into the empty net.

Around the half hour mark, Clive Miranda’s header rebounded off the crossbar while Victorino’s shot was cleared off the goalline by defender Aslon Oliveira. In the added time Sporting’s Cajetan sent in another corner but Alton Vaz’s header missed the target by inches.

The second half saw some disciplined defending by both sides. Sporting should have taken the lead in the 75th minute when an unmarked Victorino headed wide from six yards.

With this draw, Sporting missed an opportunity to leapfrog Salgaocar FC to the fourth spot with 32 points, while the Angels have 20 points in the eighth spot.

Gautam, Trijoy on target for Sporting

Two goals in the opening 30 minutes secured a 2-0 win for Sporting Clube de Goa against Corps of Signals at the 3MTR Ground, Navelim.

The visitors stamped their authority from the first minute and took the lead in the 16th minute through Gautam Dias’s 30-yard cracker, which gave rival custodian no chance.

Signals found it difficult to play against the strong Sporting side who consolidated their lead in the 29th minute when Ganesh played the ball to Trijoy Dias, and the latter smashed in a half volley from outside the box, which landed in the far top corner to make it 2-0.

Devendra nets a brace for Salgaocar

A brace by Devendra Murgaokar enabled Salgaocar FC beat Guardian Angel SC 4-1 at the Rosary Ground, Navelim.

Salgaocar FC made their intentions clear in the first minute of play with Chaitan Komarpant’s grounder requiring a save by Guardian Angel keeper, Ozen Silva. Salgaocar continued to create openings only to be thwarted by Silva.

In the 21st minute, Salgaocar took the lead. Chaitan split open the Guardian Angel defense and Devendra did not miss from close. Five minutes before the break, Salgaocar doubled the lead when Ronaldo Oliveira tapped in a through ball from captain Godfrey Mascarenhas.

Guardian Angel pulled one back in the 53rd minute through Aslon Oliveira. Salgaocar kept the Curchorem side at arm’s length.

Devendra put the result beyond doubt in the 83rd minute when he headed in his second goal off a corner. Six minutes later, Stephen Satarkar, added the team’s fourth goal as the Green Brigade ran out 4-1 winners.

Salgaocar FC is in the fourth spot with 32 points.

Velsao’s Nima Lepcha blitzes Bardez

A four-goal blitz by striker Nima Lepcha enabled Velsao Sports and Cultural Club complete a 5-0 rout of Bardez Football Club at the SAG grounds, Utorda on Thursday.

Lepcha found the mark in the 39th, 49th, 55th and 57th minute while substitute Laiwang Bohham scored Velsao’s fifth goal in the 76th minute.

Starting the match on an attacking note, Velsao SCC Nima Lepcha nearly found the mark in the third minute, but the ball sailed over the bar. That was the sign of things to come as Bardez FC did not threaten the opposition goal as Velsao goalkeeper Presley Mascarenhas had little to do under the bar.

Despite the pressure, Velsao was handed a gift when Bhavesh Gawas brought down Jesloy Moniz inside the box. Nima Lepcha tucked away the spot kick and put his team 1-0 ahead in the 39th minute.

The second half was eclipsed by Nima Lepcha’s blitz. In the 49th minute, Leny Fernandes floated a long ball to Nima who volleyed in to make it 2-0. Six minutes later, he completed his hattrick when Leny’s ball to Myron was mishit and Nima took advantage to make it 3-0. The 12-minute blitz was rounded off when Nima finished off a pass by Remedios Vaz.

Substitute striker Laiwang Bohham added the fifth goal in the 76th minute with a volley off a cross from Bersal Viegas to secure a 5-0 win and take Velsao Sports and Cultural Club to 24 points while Bardez FC stays on six points.