MAPUSA: Nigerian striker Yakubu Mohammed’s second-half brace helped Guardian Angel Sports Club to ease past Goan Football Club 2-0 in the Goa Professional League match, organised by Goa Football Association, played under the floodlights at Duler stadium, here on Wednesday.
Goan FC coach Clifford Miranda fielded a strong XI as Liston Colaco, goalkeeper Mohammad Nawaz and Princeton Rebello were back in the starting XI. Miranda started with most of the Goan players except keeper Mohammad Nawaz and midfielder Krishna Pandit.
Whereas, Angels coach Riston Rodrigues made three changes to his side which drew in the last match against Calangute Association as Allen Fernandes, Perryson Rebello and U-20 Joval Fernandes found their names in the playing XI.
The match started with a midfield play from both the ends, where Goans were the more potent with their moves, while Angels were seen on the back foot to restrict opponents from scoring which ended with a dangerous free-kick for the Angels in the 22nd minute when Goan FC defender Franzil Isaac Negredo tackling Nigerian Yakubu Mohammad outside the box but Goan keeper Nawaz nicely tipped Nicolau Colaco’s goal-bound shot for a corner.
A few minutes later, Goans also came close to scoring when a deadly cross by Saviour Gama was brilliantly cleared for safety by Angels defender Clifton Dias.
They had another chance in the 37th minute when Goan were awarded a free-kick just outside the box but this time Angel’s Perryson cleared it for a corner.
Another chance went into the vain for the Goans in the closing stage of the first session as Angels keeper Ram Sroop brilliantly parred Krishna’s curling shot to keep his slate clean at the half-time.
Goan coach Miranda brought in midfielder Yasir Mohammad, while Angels gaffer Riston brought in Ghanaian striker Abel Hammond to sharpen the attack at the half-time.
Though the Goans were more potent side in the first session, it was Angels who stunned them with an opening goal in the 57th minute when Abel found Nigerian striker Yakubu Mohammed with a perfect through pass, who made no mistake from an acute angle to put the ball in the net making it 1-0 for his side.
At the other end, Liston almost levelled the terms in the 59th minute when his powerful grounder was stopped from entering the far post but keeper Ram stretched was to his limit to push it for a corner.
The last quarter witnessed, Goan completely overpowering their opponents with continuous attacks in search of an equaliser but Angels defence led by Nicolau Colaco along with Benzu Clemente Sanwil D’Costa, Allen and keeper Ram cleared every danger to keep their slender lead.
Yakubu cemented their victory in the 87th minute when he scored his second goal of the evening as the Nigerian frontman made an easy tap-in to Clifton Dias’ floater from the halfway line to grab all three points from the match.
