Calangute down Salcete
Signals, MPT in goalless draw
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
MARGAO, FEB 22
Calangute Association put up an impressive display to defeat Salcete Football Club 3-2 in GFA’s First Division League at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda on Tuesday. The teams were tied 1-1 at half time.
Both teams dished out entertaining football in the opening session with Salcete enjoying a slight edge over their rivals.
Salcete created a scare in the very 2nd minute when striker Joshua Vaz unleashed a left footer which crashed on the horizontal off a measured pass from Alison Fernandes.
Calangute took time to settle down and once they found the rhythm, they called the shots. They came close in surging ahead but Calangute’s captain and striker Shadabe Shaikh who broke the rival shackles shot wide from handshaking distance off Aiken Dias.
Five minutes later, Calangute midfielder Stanley Coutinho fired a right footer but Salcete goalkeeper Presley Mascarenhas came to his side’s rescue.
Salcete regrouped quickly and nearly found success in the 35th minute but Francis Andrade’s flag kick hit the crossbar. Calangute came near in resolving the deadlock in the 43rd minute when striker Shadabe, who received a through pass from Ligorio Alvares, beat the rival defenders but shot wide from five yards.
Calangute paid dearly for their misses as Salcete found success in the 43rd minute through Francis Andrade. They earned a free kick which midfielder Francis smashed, giving no chance to Calangute goalkeeper Agnelo Fernandes. But their joy was shortlived when defender Siddesh Simipuruskar headed off a flag kick taken by Stanley Coutinho at the stroke of half time.
Crossing over, Calangute put up a better display with their forwards Shadabe Shaikh and Pedro Gonsalves working in tandem with midfielders Stanford Cardozo and Stanley Coutinho putting the rival citadel under tremendous pressure. The defence marshalled by Samir Chodankar and Siddesh did a fine job throughout the second half and gave little space to the rival attackers.
Salcete made it 2-1 in the 56th minute when Slegan Gracias found striker Joshua Vaz clear inside the box and the last named slammed it home.
Calangute piled on the pressure and were rewarded in the 55th minute when striker Shadabe sped past a rival defender as Salcete’s goalkeeper came out and allowed Shaikh to push the ball into the net to put his team on equal terms.
Calangute struck the match-winner in the 67th minute following a free kick taken by Pedro Gonsalves. Salcete goalkeeper Presley let the ball slip from his hands and defender Siddesh Simipuruskar gently tapped it in.
Salcete had a couple of excellent chances to bounce back. First, Francis Andrade spurned an easy chance with only the rival goalkeeper at his mercy. Later, Valente Silva headed out with an open goal off a flag kick by Sidroy Afonso.
Earlier, Frank D’Silva made a goalline save by heading the ball out when the goalkeeper was beaten off Stanford Cardozo’s snap shot.
With this win, Calangute Association collected 19 points from nine matches while Salcete have nine points from the same number of encounters.
At 3MTR ground, Navelim, Corps of Signals fluffed umpteen scoring chances and settled for a goalless draw with Mormugao Port Trust.
