Team Herald
MAPUSA: Calangute Association scored a hard fought 1-0 win over Churchill Brothers Sports Club in the GFA’s Pro League, played at Duler Stadium, Mapusa, on Tuesday.
Calangute Assn now have eight points to their kitty from six matches where Churchill have just one from four matches.
The all important goal of the match happened in the early 3rd minute of play through Josley Dias.
Calangute Assn got into the offensive at the very start of the match where Terance Lobo, who was back in action after a groin injury, worked his way into the Churchill territory and set up Yogesh Kadam who sent the ball towards Josley Dias who finished clinically, 1-0.
Calangute came close to further increasing the tally in the 13th minute of play when Yogesh Kadam sent a pinpoint cross to Runall Shirodkar who failed to convert from handshaking distance.
Goal scorer Josley once again got into the thick of the action when he played a nice one two with Sunny Fernandes and darted into the Churchill danger zone, however this time he failed to get the ball past the keeper.
After a couple of minutes Calangute once again raided the Red Machine when Runall Shirodkar curled his corner kick towards Sunny Fernandes who strong header was fisted away by keeper Aliston.
The only close shave that Churchill had at scoring in the first session was in the 35th minute of play when Nicholas Fernandes sent a long cross to Nash Pereira whose powerful shot missed the target narrowly.
Within three minutes of the second session, Churchill suffered another set back when they went a man down after referee Elvis Simoes gave their defender Caitano Viegas marching orders for a harsh tackle on Yogesh Kadam.
Minutes later Churchill defender Suraj did a splendid job to clear Josley Dias strike from the goal line.
At the other end Churchill were placed with a glorious chance to restore parity when Yogesh Kadam was found guilty by the referee of handling the ball inside the danger zone, who awarded the Red Machine a penalty kick.
However as luck would have it, Nicholas Fernandes strike from the penalty spot missed the target narrowly.
In the final moments of the match Calangute initiated several raids however Salim Mohammad and Sunny Fernandes failed to score from close range.
