MAPUSA: Salgaocar FC take on Sporting Clube de Goa in a crucial encounter, which will decide the fate of both the teams, in a Round 14 match of the GFA Goa Professional League at the Duler Stadium, Mapusa, on Saturday.
The Greens go into the fixture having finished all square with Vasco Sports Club in the last outing to finish at fourth position on the points table with 19 points from 12 games while Sporting Clube currently top the standings with 26 points from 13 games but go into the game having suffered a defeat at the hands of Calangute Association in their last encounter.
A win for Salgaocar FC will certainly throw the league table wide open with five rounds to play. Coincidentally, it was The Greens, who emerged victorious at the curtain raiser of the season, the GFA Champions Trophy with the first leg of the Goa Professional League ending all square.
Despite suffering just one defeat in 12 games, the least amongst any of the sides along with Churchill Brothers SC, The Greens find themselves off the pace due to the seven drawn encounters. In the last outing against Vasco Sports Club, despite scoring first and seemingly in cruise control mode, they did allow their port town rivals to slowly claw their way back into the game.
The Greens will miss the services of medio and workhorse Martin Scott due to suspension, but will bank on Australian Calvin Mbarga to provide the thrust upfront and find the back of the net. Calvin has netted four times already in only six games and coach Malcolm Thomson will be hopeful his triumph card delivers the goods when most needed.
Salgaocar FC are likely to continue with the U-20 duo of Myron Borges and Jason Barboza in the starting 11 with skipper Rocus Lamare marshalling the midfield. Recent signing Alesh Sawant, who has been lively and given a good account of himself in the last three games, is likely to retain his place in the starting 11.
An enthralling contest is on the cards with everything to play for between the two sides looking to stamp their authority on the domestic league ahead of the I-League that kicks off in a month.
Sporting Coach Mathew Costa said, “It will be a good match, our squad is ready and we have been training well.”
On last match result, he added, “Yes it was disappointing, we need to learn from our mistakes, our focus is on this match and we must get back on the winning ways.”
“Salgaocar FC needs no introduction, they are a good side. It will definitely be a fantastic 90 minutes of football,” he concluded.
Salgaocar Head Coach Malcolm Thomson said that he is looking forward towards a good game as both are competitive.
