MAPUSA: Sporting Clube de Goa registered their 8th consecutive win as they eased past Calangute Association 4-1 in the Goa Professional League match, organised by Goa Football Association, played at Duler Stadium, here on Friday.
With Friday’s win, Sporting braced their top position with 39 points from 15 matches, while Calangute remained at 5th position with 18 points from 14 matches.
Josley Dias, Omkar More and Myron Fernandes made into the cut of the Beach side, whereas Cajetan Fernandes and Philip Odogwu were the two changes in the Sporting’s line-up.
It was just nine minutes on the match clock when Sporting took the lead through Cajetan. Quan Gomes was tackled by Calangute defender Bersal Viegas just outside the box to give away the free-kick where Cajetan’s curling shot from the 25 yards finished it the nets making it 1-0 for the Flaming Oranje.
A few minutes later, Nigerian striker Abiola Afuwape almost doubled their lead when he went for the glory from the edge of the box but his fierce shot was nicely fisted over the crossbar by Calangute keeper Jason D’Mello.
However, Sporting inflated their lead in the 20th minute when skipper Victorino Fernandes made a swift run in the box and found onrushing U-20 winger Myron Fernandes who banged the ball into the net from close to make it 2-0 for his side.
Trailing by two goals within first 20 minutes, Calangute coach Alex replaced U-20 striker Sanjay Vengurlekar with Black Haldankar at the half-hour mark and the striker delivered within few minutes after coming in as he reduced the margin for the Beach side with a brilliant goal after receiving a long ball from Nigerian defender Kouame Joseph.
Sporting took just two minutes in the second session to reinstate their two-goal lead as Philip’s sparkling shot from inside the box finished in the back of the nylons to make it 3-1 for his side.
As the match progressed, Sporting almost dominated the major part of the match, however, in the 84th minute, Calangute came close to scoring when their defender made a swift run and shot on the goal from the edge of the box but Sporting keeper Melroy Fernandes brilliantly tipped it for a corner.
In the added time, Sporting hammered the last nail into Calangute’s coffin when their Nigerian mideo
Philip easily dribbled past keeper Jason in the box and released the ball to substitute striker Marcus Mascarenhas who poked the ball into the net from the goalmouth.
