Pic Courtesy: Dempo SC
Vasco SC led the points table after round five only for Salgaocar FC to seize the initiative at the end of round six in the Goa Pro League. Sporting Clube de Goa returns to resume normal service.
Unbeaten Salgaocar go top
Salgaocar FC have gone top of the Goa Professional League after a 1-0 win over Youth Club of Manora. Selwyn Mirando scored the only goal of the game in the first half of the match.
The win followed a goalless draw against Dempo SC. This was the first goalless match of the season.
Both teams kept each other at arm’s length as the best chance came in the second half when Dempo’s Beevan sent Richard Cardoz through in the box, but Salgaocar defender Daniel Gomes came up with a timely clearance to keep his side safe.
The Green Brigade remain unbeaten as they top the table with 13 points from five matches.
Sporting Clube win four in a row
Sporting Clube de Goa picked up convincing wins against Churchill Brothers and Velsao SSC.
Following the postponement of their matches in round three and four, normal service resumed when Sporting made it four wins in four to take their tally to 12 points.
In the clash of the joint-champions, the first half did not produce a goal. It was only in the 70th minute that the deadlock was broken.
A diving header by Marcus Mascarenhas produced a brilliant save by Churchill keeper, Debnath Mondal. However, the ball fell into the path of Nigerian striker Philip Odogwu who gave Flaming Orange the lead.
The three points were confirmed in the 87th minute. Debnath Mondal’s block off a shot struck the Churchill defender, Allen Fernandes, and the ball rolled in the empty net.
Earlier in the week, Sporting thrashed Velsao 4-0 in the Goa Professional League.
Philip Odogwu scored in the 18th minute while Rohit Totad added a second in the 31st minute. Marcus Mascarenhas (58’) and Sachidanand Satelkar (66’) added two more goals in the second half to secure all three points from the match.
Nine-man FC Goa lose to Panjim Footballers
Panjim Footballers handed FC Goa a shock 1-0 defeat in the Goa Professional League.
The deadlock was broken in the 26th minute when Panjim winger Vallmicky Miranda curled the ball into the box. FC Goa keeper, Dylan Da Silva, failed to clear the ball allowing an unmarked Prasil Kankonkar to tap in from close.
Prasil Kankonkar’s goal in the 26th minute was the difference between the two sides.
10 minute later, a long distance strike from Vallmicky was pushed away by FC Goa keeper Dylan to keep his team in the hunt. At the other end, Delton Colaco’s shot struck the Panjim crossbar.
The Junior Gaurs suffered a blow in the 68th minute in the show of petulance. FC Goa’s Brison punched Vallmicky Miranda in frustration. The referee produced the second yellow card for the player.
Down to 10 men, FC Goa coach Deggie Cardozo subbed in Romeo Fernandes. The experienced player came close to scoring in the 75th minute when his freekick hit the crossbar.
More frustration for Deggie when his team was reduced to nine men in added time as Krishna Gawas was brought down by Brian Faria. The defender received his second yellow card of the match.
The development team of the Indian Super League finished the match with nine men.
Panjim’s ambition come crashing down
At the end of the first half, Panjim Footballers looked like their fortunes were on the up.
Lloyd Cardozo had latched on a Vallmicky Miranda pass to help the Capital City side go 1-0 up in the 45th minute. Just like their win over FC Goa another upset was on the cards. Beevan D’Mello had other ideas.
The veteran was in the right place to tap in Richard’s cut back to make it 1-1 in the 56th minute. Two minutes later, it was 2-1. Pedro Gonsalves’s shot was brilliantly block by Panjim keeper Preston Rego, only for Beevan to pounce on the loose ball to head the ball in the net.
Dempo sealed all three points in the 73rd minute. A foul on Beevan gave Pedro Gonsalves the opportunity to curl the ball into the near post. Three points for the Golden Eagles to take their tally to 11 points from six matches.
Denil Rebello pulls the strings for Vasco SC
Vasco Sports Club went to the top of the Goa Pro League table after the fifth round, courtesy a 3-2 win over Velsao Sports & Cultural Club.
Following their back-to-back victories against Sesa FA and Guardian Angel SC, the Port Towners were in for a shock when a strike from Ronil Azavedo put Velsao into a lead in the fourth minute.
Four minutes later, it was 1-1. Denil Rebello found Desmon Gama in the box and the winger slotted past Velsao keeper Shivam to even the scores.
10 minutes later, Vasco went in front. Denil Rebello surged past a defender and slotted the ball at the far post making it 2-1 for the Port Towners.
The points were in the bag in the 65th minute when Velsao goalkeeper, Shivam, had to parry away a Denil Rebello freekick. However, the danger was not cleared as Anil Gaonkar tapped in the loose ball to make it 3-1 for Vasco.
Brian brought some respectability to the scoreline when his long ranger found the back of the net in added time.
3-2 and Vasco topped the Goa Pro League for the first time in years.
Calangute halt Vasco’s winning streak
Vasco SC’s three match unbeaten run in the Goa Professional League came to a halt courtesy a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Calangute Association.
While the Port Towners showed some attacking intent, it was Calangute who should have gone ahead in first half injury time when Siddhant Shirdokar’s header hit the crossbar. The ball fell to Domnic Fernandes and with the keeper out of position, the midfielder conspired to shoot wide from the six yard box. A classic case of “couldn’t hit a cow’s arse with a banjo”.
After the restart, Kuldeep Kumar came close to giving Vasco the lead – twice. A corner taken by Denil Rebllo allowed Kuldeep to hit the target only for Calangute keeper Paramveer Singh to keep him out. The clearance fell to Kuldeep again who missed the target this time.
The deadline was broken in the 60th minute. Following a a counter attack, Siddhant Shirodka beat his marker and sent in a cross. Kouame Junior was at hand to head past Vasco keeper Sanju Thapa.
The win takes Calangute to nine points in five games, while Vasco remains on 12 points.
Calangute beat Guardian Angel in five goal thriller
Earlier in the week, Krishnanath Shirodkar scored in injury-time to help Calangute Association beat Guardian Angel Sports Club 3-2.
Calangute went ahead in the third minute when Siddhant Shirodkar pounced on a mistake by Angels custodian Ram. The scoreline remained unchanged for the rest of the half.
The lead was doubled within 35 seconds of the restart when Siddhant Shirodkar slotted in Chaitan Dabholkar’s cross from close.
Angels reduced the margin in the 54th minute when Basanta Singh pounced on Paramveer’s mistake. The scores were leveled in the 81st minute as Guardian Angel fought back through Gilbert Oliveira.
There was one final twist in injury time when Krishnanath headed in to give Calangute the win. Guardian Angel has five points from five matches after their fixture with FC Goa was postponed.
Churchill Brothers edge past Sesa Football Academy
A first-half goal by Trijoy Dias helped Churchill Brothers secure a hard-fought 1-0 win over Sesa Football Academy.
The deadlock was broken in the 40th minute when Trijoy headed in Yagya’s cross.
The Red Machines controlled the match for most of the second half, however, there was a flash point in the 84th minute as Asif made a rough tackle on Vishnu. The two players were then involved in a heated fist fight. The referee gave both players their marching orders.
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