DULER: Calangute Association stunned Sporting Clube de Goa 2-1, in the season opening clash of Goa Police Football Cup, at Duler stadium, Mapusa, on Sunday.
Both the sides started cautiously, testing each other’s strengths thereby confining the initial quarter of the match to the midfield.
Sunny Fernandes and Newton Azavedo got on the score sheet for Calangute while Cajetan Fernandes pulled one back for Sporting.
At half time the score was 1-0.
In the 20th minute of play Joyner Lourenco ran down the right flank and sent the ball across Calangute goal area to unmarked Alber Gonsalves, who to the dismay of his teammates blasted the ball wide with only the keeper to beat.
Vitorino Fernandes was a livewire in the Sporting midfield, who with his quick runs and pinpoint crosses kept the Calangute defence on their toes.
In the 31st minute Vitorino sent a through pass to James Fernandes, whose feeble effort at goal was easily blocked by the Calangute custodian Jason D’Mello.
Calangute’s fresh signing of the season, Terence Lobo, was a cause of constant worry for the Sporting colts; however on making some dangerous runs into the rival citadel he failed to find the back of the net.
Calangute Association were clearly the better side in the initial part of the game as they created some good chances early in the match. Sporting had an early opportunity in the 8th minute when Ponif Vaz fired a shot from point blank range but straight into the hands of Jason D’Mello.
Calangute were the first one to draw blood in the 37th minute when Agnelo Colaco set Sunny Fernandes with a good through ball.
The latter rounded off Ravi Kumar to calmly place the ball into the Sporting nets giving Calangute the lead they were looking for.
Sporting intensified their attack but couldn’t get past Jason in between the nets on numerous occasions.
Crossing over Sporting started off in an attacking mode, looking to wrap up the match in their favour as in the 1st minute itself James Fernandes fired in a low grounder from inside the danger zone which was pushed away by the diving Calangute keeper.
The best chance of the match for Sporting came in the 54th minute when George D’Souza sent in a delightful ball into the box, Victorino Fernandes latched on to the ball but failed to get his direction right. With Sporting trying their best to create chances Calangute exploited the large gaps in the defense.
In the 62nd minute Sporting had two back to back chances in the form of George and Ganesh header which saw a goal line save by the Calangute defence.
This proved lethal in the 85th minute when Calangute managed to create a good chance, winning a corner at the far end.
Once again Agnelo was involved when he sent in a low corner finding Newton in the right spot making it 2 – 0 in favour of Calangute.
Soon in the 86th minute Sporting won a corner which was taken by Gorge who picked out Cajetan from the crowded box to pull one back for Sporting.
Though Sporting tried hard for a comeback they could not break down the Calangute defence who hung on to their slim lead and ticked the clock down.
In the 70th minute of play Calangute came with a well built up move where Terence Lobo sent the ball to Yogesh Kadam who in turn set up Sunny Fernandes whose goal bound effort was brilliantly cleared away by Sporting defender Joseph Clement.
Earlier, the chief guest Muktesh Chandan (IPS DGP, Goa) along with Mahesh Gaonkar (DYSP, SDPO Mapusa), Anthony Monserrate (DYSP), Peter Vaz (owner SCG) and Rahul Rodrigues (CEO, Vasco SC) were introduced to the players and match officials.
Meanwhile in another match Salgaocar FC defeated Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim 3-2, at Ambelim ground.
