Team Herald
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
MAPUSA: Clube de Salgaocar secured a resounding 4-0 win over Panjim Footballers SC in the Goa Professional League, at Duler stadium, on Tuesday.
All four goals came in the second half, with Isac Zomuanpuia scoring twice, while Suraj and skipper Pratesh Shirodkar added one goal each.
The match held promise as the new entrants, Salgaocar, began with 14 points from eight matches, while Panjim Footballers, struggling at the bottom of the table with just one point from the same number of games, managed to hold their opponents goalless until half-time.
Salgaocar looked more threatening in the first half, creating several opportunities. In the 8th minute, Tipanna Bhavikaiti sent a teasing cross into the box, but Panjim’s goalkeeper Bhaskar Jalmi made a fine save, tipping it over for a corner.
Salgaocar’s skipper, Pratesh Shirodkar, was pivotal in orchestrating attacks. In the 17th minute, he played a neat pass to Tipanna on the right flank, but Panjim’s defender Prasil Kankonkar made a timely clearance to avert the danger. Two minutes later, Shirodkar initiated another move, setting up Isac Zomuanpuia, who played a through ball to Boinao Singh. However, Singh’s chip over the onrushing goalkeeper went just over the crossbar.
Panjim’s goalkeeper Bhaskar Jalmi was kept busy, making back-to-back saves to deny efforts from Zomuanpuia and Shrine Clemente.
In the second half, Salgaocar intensified their attacks. In the 55th minute, Zomuanpuia failed to connect with a shot from Umang Gaikwad from just outside the six-yard box.
The breakthrough finally came in the 69th minute. Skipper Shirodkar found Zomuanpuia unmarked, and the latter expertly controlled the ball before unleashing a powerful volley to make it 1-0.
Ten minutes later, Suraj rose above the defenders to head home a corner from Shrine Clemente, doubling the lead to 2-0.
Salgaocar showed no signs of slowing down. Zomuanpuia scored his second goal of the match, and Shirodkar sealed the emphatic win with a stunning 30-yard strike into the far corner, making it 4-0.
