Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: Sporting Clube de Goa extended their unbeaten run with a commanding 8-2 victory over Guardian Angel SC, in the Goa Professional League (GPL), at Duler Stadium, on Tuesday.
For the Flaming Oranje, substitute Vikram Venkatachalam netted a hat-trick, Doyal Alves struck twice and Francisco Fernandes and Ahongshangbam Meitei each added a goal. Guardian Angel SC’s captain Peter Carvalho and Airen Fernandes were the scorers for their side.
This emphatic win keeps Sporting Clube de Goa atop the GPL table with 31 points from 11 matches, while Guardian Angel SC remains at the bottom with just 5 points from the same number of games.
Despite their recent struggles, Guardian Angel SC showed determination at the start. In the 6th minute, they came close to opening the scoring when Godwin Fernandes narrowly missed connecting with a well-delivered cross from Cyril Dias on the right flank. However, the breakthrough came in the 13th minute when Angel’s skipper Peter Carvalho rose above the Sporting defenders to head James Fernandes’ corner into the net, giving his side a 1-0 lead.
Sporting responded instantly, equalising in the very next minute. A long throw-in by Biswa Darjee found Ahongshangbam Meitei, whose chest control and lob into the box caught Angel’s goalkeeper Oswin Rodrigues off-guard. Leran Dias capitalised on the fumble to head the ball into the goal, making it 1-1.
In the 35th minute, Sporting took the lead when Doyal Alves’s header, off a pinpoint cross from Ivon Costa, beat Oswin Rodrigues, making it 2-1.
The second half saw an avalanche of goals, with seven more scored. Francisco Fernandes extended Sporting’s lead in the 52nd minute with a powerful solo effort, driving forward from the centre line to score with a precise placement, making it 3-1.
Guardian Angel SC briefly fought back in the 55th minute, as Airen Fernandes curled a stunning 25-yard free kick past Sporting’s custodian Siddharth Rama, reducing the deficit to 3-2.
Sporting regained momentum in the 66th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Angel’s Liven Clement handled the ball in the box. Doyal Alves calmly converted from the spot, making it 4-2.
The Flaming Oranje then unleashed a relentless assault, with Ahongshangbam Meitei scoring again and substitute Vikram Venkatachalam adding a hat-trick, sealing an 8-2 rout.