Team Herald
MAPUSA: FC Bardez got the better of Corps of Signals 3-1 in the GFA Goa Professional league match, at Duler Stadium, Mapusa, on Thursday.
With Thursday’s win, FC Bardez stay on top of the league table with 17 points from eight matches, while Corps of Signals are on the 10th spot with 4 points having played seven matches.
It was the Bardez colts who called most of the shots in the match, pinning their rivals in their own backyard for major duration. FC Bardez led 1-0 at break.
In the 11th minute, the winners were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box, however Alesh Sawant’s powerful strike travelled narrowly past the target after grazing past the legs of the defender.
After some midfield tactics by both sides, FC Bardez managed to break the deadlock in the 35th minute from the penalty spot after referee found Kuldeep Kumar guilty of dangerously tackling Alesh Sawant inside the 18-yards box. Skipper Peter Carvalho took up the responsibility of the kick and made no mistake in scoring, 1-0.
Crossing over, FC Bardez did not waste much time and further inflated the lead within six minutes when Girish Naik sent a short corner to Alesh Sawant who then sent it across the Signals goal area to Koko Sakibo, who finished off through a firm header, 2-0.
Signals came dangerously close to reduce the margin the 66th minute, however Vishnu saw his low grounder being neatly collected by Bardez keeper Mirshad.
Koko Sakibo almost netted his brace in the 72nd minute when on collecting the ball from Kirtikesh Gadekar, he charged into the Signals territory only to be thwarted by the keeper in a one-on-one situation.
In the 85th minute, Signals Lairellakpam Singh on seeing Bardez custodian off his line tried to lob the ball over, however the keeper made a quick retreat and managed to ward off the danger.
At the other end, in the next minute Bardez further inflated the margin when Koko on getting hold of the ball inside the Signals goal area scored through a powerful placement, 3-0.
In the closing stages of the extra time, Signals managed to pull one goal when Kuldeep Kumar flicked the ball over the keeper into the empty nets, 1-3.
