DULER: Calangute Association set up a date with FC Bardez in the final of the Goa Police Cup after a hard fought win over Salgaocar Football Club 6-4 via tie-breaker, in the tournament organized by Goa Police Sports Cell in association with Vasco Sports Club and GFA, sponsored by Axis Bank, at Duler Stadium, Mapusa, on Wednesday.
It was Steven Fernandes who put Calangute Assn into the lead only to see Liston Colaco come with the equalizer for Salgaocar FC.
Salgaocar FC held the upper hand in the initial minutes of the match, but Calangute Assn keeper Jason D’Mello displayed some brilliant antics under the horizontal bar to deny Jovel Martins and Liston Colaco from scoring.
In the 19th minute of play, Salgaocar FC’s Nicolao Colaco covered a few yards and set the ball on platter to Brian Mascarenhas who failed to score from close range.
Calangute Assn too had their fair share of chances, where in the 24th minute Agnelo Colaco on getting hold of the ball from Newton Azavedo blasted the ball wide and then Sunny Fernandes failed to beat Salgaocar FC keeper Bruno Colaco in a one on one situation.
Despite the series of missed opportunities, both the sides failed to surrender and kept up the pressure which ultimately saw Calangute Assn break the deadlock in the 47th minute of play when Agnelo Colaco sent a dangerous cross across the face of the Salgaocar FC goal to Steven Fernandes who wasted no time in slotting the ball into the back of the nets.
On receiving some choice words from their coach Norbert Gonsalves at half time, the Salgaocar FC colts took the field with renewed vigour and levelled terms in the first minute itself when Gilbert Oliveira sent a defence splitting pass to Liston Colaco who unleashed a powerful low grounder which had no answer from keeper Jason.
The Green Brigade came teasingly close to taking the lead in the 64th minute when Naro Hari on getting hold of the ball charged into the rival citadel only to see his right footed shot go inches past the target.
A minute later at the other end Valerio Rodrigues saw his power packed shot bang the Salgaocar woodwork and rebound back into play.
With the match ending in a 1-1 draw the tiebreaker was implemented wherein Agnelo Colaco, Melvin Lobo, Yogesh Kadam, Valerio Rodrigues and Pedro Gonsalves scored for Calangute Association colts while Gilbert Oliveira, Mackroy Peixote and Naro Hari shot on target for Salgaocar outfit.
