Team Herald
UTORDA: Velsao Sports and Cultural Club successfully managed to hold Goan FC to a frustrating 0-0 draw at SAG ground, Utorda.
Coming from a 1-0 win over Signals in their previous encounter, Velsao SCC were high in confidence against Goan FC, who had suffered their first defeat against Churchill Brothers in the last match.
Velsao knew the only way they could hold the upbeat Goan FC attack was to defend deep throughout the game and attack only on the counters, and the team played similar football for the entire game, thus frustrating the Goan FC side.
Goan FC were without their regulars Liston Colaco and Princeton Rebello while Leander D’Cunha started on the bench. Despite the changes, the young Gaurs had their chances with Aaren D’Silva and Lalawmpui –both misfiring from close.
Crossing over, nothing changed as Goan FC tried desperately to break the Velsao SCC’s wall but the home side kept clearing the ball with long shots forcing the Gaurs to build up the play from scratch.
Goan FC had two late chances in the closing stages of the game when Kapil played the ball to Lalawmpuia, but the latter couldn’t keep his composure as he shot wide with just the keeper to beat.
The second real chance came in the second half additional time when Lalawmpuia tried a shot from a tight angle but his shot deflected off Velsao player Bersal Veigas and hit the cross bar and came back into the play.
Earlier, Velsao’s striker Laiwang Bohham missed a glorious chance when he failed to control a long ball in the rival box played from the Velsao SCC midfield. The striker’s first touch let him down.
Much to the dismay of the Goan FC, the club were held to a frustrating draw which threw open the title race wide open.
