MAPUSA: Bardez favourites Calangute Association Sports Club continued with their brilliant performance with a well deserved 2-1 win over Sporting Clube de Goa in the 13 round match of GFA Goa Pro League at Duler Stadium, here, on Wednesday. In their first leg encounter, both the teams settled for a goalless draw.
Calangute Association just seem to be getting better with each game, and their last big win against defending champions Salgaocar FC have taken their confidence to the next level. With today’s victory, Calangute Association climb to third position with 21 points while Sporting Clube remain on second position with 26 points. Both the teams started brightly and created equal number of opportunities at each other’s goals.
Calangute Association central defender Kouame Joseph Yao did a brilliant job in keeping a constant check on Sporting Clube captain Odafa Okolie, giving him very little room to cause any serious damage.
Odafa still managed to squeeze in some chances from dead ball situations. However, first he ballooned the free-kick from 25-yard way above the Calangute Association goal and his next free-kick hit the defensive wall.
Calangute Association came teasingly close to scoring in the 23rd minute, when Valeiro Rodrigues made a dangerous run into the rival camp but his effort was blocked by Sporting Clube keeper Fayaz Shaikh, only to see the
ball roll towards Felix Chidi Odili. However, the keeper showed some quick reflexes to pounce on the ball before any damage was done.
Crossing over, the teams seemed more determined to break the deadlock and it was Calangute Association who did the honours when in the 51st minute they were awarded a free-kick right on the edge on the 18-yard box. Nigerian Odili showed his worth when he beautifully curled the ball into the far end of the Sporting Clube goal to give his side the lead.
Stunned by the goal, The Flaming Oranje increased the tempo of their attack but Calangute Association keeper Jason D’Mello came to his side’s rescue by first neatly fisting away Odafa Okolie’s 30-yard power-packed strike, and then made a full stretched diving save to collect James Fernandes’ powerful low grounder.
Calangute Association further added to the frustration of Sporting Clube in the 74th minute by netting home a second goal when substitute George D’Souza on being set up by Felix, unleashed a out swinging strike which caught the keeper on the wrong foot.
Despite being two goals down, Sporting Clube refused to lay down their hands and surrender. They pushed harder and managed to reduced the margin in the 79th minute when Alber Gonsalves on getting hold of a long throw in by Franzil Negredo, tapped the ball into the rival nets to take the score tally to 2-1.
