FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024
Team Herald
MAPUSA: Velsao SCC went down fighting to Sesa FA 0-1 in a GFA’s Relegation League match at Duler stadium, here, on Friday.
The all-important goal came through a header from Clencio Pinto.
After today’s win, Sesa FA tallied 15 points while Velsao SCC stayed on 11 points.
Velsao, knowing full well a win in today's match could keep them in a safe zone, went all out for a victory dictating terms in the entire first session, but the stubborn Sesa's defense and their goalkeeper were unbeatable.
Sesa had just one good look at the rival goal in the 4th minute. Under-20
Aryan Salunke got the better of his marker and squared the ball to unmarked Clencio Pinto whose placement was superbly collected by Velsao's custodian Rahul K.K.
Thereafter, Velsao hit back, kept on attacking time and again, but poor finishing by the strikers let them down. A stiff grounder by Under-20 Shario Gomes from outside the penalty box came back off the post in the 12th minute and in the very next minute Velroy Carvalho's header off a corner was blocked on the goalline by Sesa's Myran Pereira.
In the last quarter, before the breather, Shario Gomes moved dangerously inside the penalty box, dribbled past two defenders but saw rival goalkeeper Roanal blocking his effort. Roanal was once again in the tick of action as he stopped Wangkhem Singh's and Romario Da Costa's goal-bound attempts.
On crossing over, Sesa's coach Charles Dias brought in Chaitan Dabholkar and Mahammad Faheez. The move paid dividends.
In the 48th minute, Faheez managed to squeeze inside the 18-yard box but he was timely thwarted by Velsao's goalkeeper Rahul K.K.
Another chance went a begging for Sesa. Clencio controlled a long ball from Akash Kudnekar but shot skywards. However, in the 64th minute Sesa finally saw Clencio making up for his earlier lapses as he headed the ball into the goal off a pinpoint cross from Aman Rajbhar.
Velsao exerted tremendous pressure in the last ten minutes but Velroy’s and Imran Khan’s strikes rebounded off the goalpost.
Sesa’s Clencio received the man-of-the match award from Michael Gonsalves.
