Goa Professional League 2019-20: Round 16

Dempo SC and Salgaocar FC fail to close the gap on the leaders of the Goa Professional League. The round featured four matches of which three ended in draws. 

Corps of Signals were the lone winners of the round with a 2-1 win over Panjim Footballers. 

Sporting Clube de Goa continue to top the table, while Churchill Brothers are five points behind with three matches in hand.

Dempo scramble to take a point off Calangute

A goal deep into injury time helped Dempo SC salvage a point in the Goa Professional League at the Duler Stadium.

Trailing by a goal for most of the second half, the title contenders scrambled home the equalizer in the dying seconds of injury time to earn a draw against Calangute Association.

Calangute took the lead in the 20th minute through Dominic Fernandes. A through ball from Valerio Rodrigues put the forward goal-side and Fernandes found the back of the net with ease.

The Dempo team changed gears and stitched together a move which resulted in the equalizer. A neat cross from the left from Niraj Parekh was headed in by Rajat in the 27th minute.

Joaquim Abranches and Dominic Fernandes hit crossbar in the closing minutes of the first half.

Fernandes did get on the scoresheet again. A successfully converted penalty gave Calangute the lead at the break.

The second half saw a dominant Dempo display, however the attackers were unable to beat Calangute goalkeeper Sanij.

A corner in the dying seconds led to a melee in the Calangute box. After a series of attempts at goal, Dempo defender Edwin Viegas poked in the equalizer.

This is the fifth draw in six matches for Dempo, while Calangute were denied their first win in six matches. The draw takes Dempo SC to 27 points in third place, while Calangute are in 9th place with 14 points.

Velsao fight back to earn a point

Velsao Sports and Cultural Club put up a brave display to earn a point against against Salgaocar Football Club in the Goa Professional League at the Rosary Ground, Navelim.

Salgaocar got a near-perfect start when Chaitan Komarpant ghosted into the box to guide the ball home to make it 1-0.

The bottom-placed team regrouped to restrict the Salgaocar attack and keep the scoreline down.

After the break, the Green Brigade threw more men forward. Devendra Murgaonkar and Stephen Satarkar were to be thwarted by Velsao custodian Presley Mascarenhas.

Salgaocar FC, who were better in the second session had a couple of chances to kill the game, but Devendra Murgaonkar and Stephen Satarkar were both denied by some good goalkeeping by Velsao’s custodian Presley Mascarenhas.

Velsao SCC looked more composed on the ball and grew into the game. The equalizer came in the 84th minute when substitute Jesloy Moniz’s cut back was finished by Remedios Vaz to make it 1-1.

After playing their 14th match, Velsao SCC are at the bottom of the table with eight points, but it was a much-improved showing. Salgaocar, on the other hand, missed out on going level with Dempo. They are now on 25 points in fourth place.

Vasco’s 5-minute salvo earns a win

Two goals in five minutes helped Vasco Sports Club register a 2-1 win over Sesa FA in the Goa Professional League at the Sesa FA Ground, Sirsai.

Both teams were off-target in the first half where Vasco had come closest with Aliston’s effort hitting the post.

The Port Towners came out attacking in the second half and broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute. A free-kick from Suraj was tapped in by midfielder Altaf Navaloor to put his side ahead.

Vasco doubled their lead five minutes later. Mathew Colaco cut past a defender and setup substitute Micky Vaz in the box. A clinical finish in the net from point-blank range to make it 2-0.

Sesa FA hit back through Shajam’s curler to skipper Melvin Lobo, but the latter’s header missed the target by inches. In the 87th minute, substitute Kunal Salgaokar hit the post after dribbling past a couple of defenders.

In added time, Vasco defender Sanwil D’Costa brought down Caitano Viegas in the box to give away a penalty. Melvin converted from the spot to make it 2-1 but it was only a consolation.

With this win, Vasco leapfrogged Sesa to 10th place with 17 points. Sesa FA are a point behind, although they have three matches in hand.

Armymen attack from the wings to beat Panjim

Corps of Signals completed a league double over Panjim Footballers with a 2-1 win in the Goa Professional League.

The Armymen had beaten Panjim Footballers 1-0 in November.

Alston Camotio put Panjim Footballers ahead in the 11th minute. The lead could have been doubled has Panjim’s Krishna, Llyod Cardozo, and Lokesh had their shooting boots on.

After the break, the Armymen regrouped to attack from the wings. In the 51st minute, the Signals team equalized through Romanse MS’s header off a corner.

Corps of Signals were the better side in the second half and were They finally netted through another cross from the right wing. Nim Bhutia heading the ball in to score the winner for his side.

The win takes Corps of Signals up to 17 points from 18 matches while Panjim Footballers remain on 23 points from 16 matches.