Team Herald
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MAPUSA/RAIA: A 94th minute strike by Niraj Parekh enabled Geno FC to hold Sporting Clube de Goa to a 1-1 draw in the Goa Professional (Super League) match played at Duler Stadium, here, on Sunday.
After drawn encounter, Sporting Clube still lead the GPL table with 35 points from 15 matches, while Geno FC has 29 points from 14 matches.
Geno FC did start aggressively and had better of ball possession and attacks at the rival goal.
Striker Chaitan Komarpant moved dangerously inside the penalty box and drilled a stiff grounder but was collected by Sporting Clube’s custodian Siddharth Rana at the first post.
Geno FC’s another glorious chance went abegging in the 32nd minute when Meinam Musharaf got hold of the ball from Chaitan free-kick and latched a right footer which came off the far goal post to Gourav Kankonkar, who failed to score.
Sporting Clube got their acts together in the 42nd minute when Francisco Fernandes and Alton Vaz strikes from inside the 18-yard box were blocked by the Geno FC’s defenders.
However, in the stoppage time, Sporting Clube surged ahead when Francisco Fernandes collected a cross from U-21 Shaniel Lucas and fired the ball into the goal, 1-0.
Geno FC should have levelled terms in the very 2nd minute on crossing ends but substitute Sheldon Pereira tapped the ball over the crossbar from inside the 6-yard box off Abelson Jachi pass.
After 30 minutes of midfield tussle in the 83rd minute substitute Selwyn Miranda sent a pinpoint cross to well positioned Sairruatkima whose header from close was brilliantly blocked for a corner by Geno FC’s goalkeeper Savio Pereira.
Minutes later, Mark Carvalho was a bit late to connect Francisco Fernandes through pass.
From the eight minutes of stoppage time, Geno FC time and again attacked the rival citadel but Sporting Clube’s goalkeeper brought two smart saves to deny Chaitan Komarpant from scoring.
However, finally in the 94th minute, Geno FC were awarded a free-kick outside the penalty box where defender Niraj Nikhil Parekh brilliantly curled the ball into the far corner of the goal to make it, 1-1.
In another match, Guardian Angel SC got the better of Calangute Association 2-0 in the Goa Professional League (Relegation Zone) match played at Nagoa Panchayat ground on Sunday.
Sannik Murmu gave an early lead to Guardian Angel SC in the 9th minute of the match and later he doubled the lead in the 50th minute to complete his brace.
