Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA/RAIA: Candolim came back strongly to hold A A de Moira to a 1-1 draw in the Goa Football Association Division I League match played at Duler Stadium, on Monday.
A A de Moira with just three points from five matches started aggressively to return home with a win where they did come twice close in opening their account but Vinayak Rane’s header was smartly blocked by Candolim’s custodian Jason D'Mello, while in the stoppage time Pradeep Bind strike came off the horizontal bar.
Candolim almost scored in the 40th minute but Nikhil Naik’s goal bound cross was blocked on the goalline by Moira’s Alrico Peixito.
Hardly had the team’s supporters taken their seats on crossing over, substitute Michael Dias collecting a long ball from Oliver D’Souza darted inside the penalty box and drilled a power-packed right footer into the far corner of the goal with Jaison D’Mello’s full stretched dive going in vain, 1-0.
Moira almost doubled their lead in the very next minute but Oliver D’Souza free kick from outside the penalty box was blocked by Candolim’s custodian Jason.
Candolim regrouped themselves and came with repeated attacks on the rival citadel which finally paid off in the 67th minute where a teasing cross inside the 6-yard box by Zaid Khan was strongly headed by Domnic Soares into the goal 1-1. In the closing stages of the match Moira's goalkeeper Soma Korgaonkar brought a brilliant save to stop substitute Latesh Mandrekar free-kick entering the goal.
At the other end Candolim had a narrow escape when speedy Moira's striker Sanket Jotkar was brought down inside the 18-yard box by Candolim's defender which was surprisingly overlooked by referee Ritesh Parsekar and Assistant referee Milagres Fernandes to the dismay of Moira's team mates and supporters where their strong appeal failed to convenience the referee.
However in the stoppage time this time referee Ritesh Parsekar was alert to give marching orders to Candolim's Pravin Rathod for pinning down Michael Dias just outside the penalty box.
In another match, Cortalim Villagers SWSC hold Goa Police 1-1 at Nagoa Panchayat ground, on Monday. Shubham Shirwaikar gave lead to Goa Police in the 25th minute, while Ronil Azavedo equalised for Cortalim Villagers in the 42nd minute of the match.
U-17: Sirlim SC
down Salcete FC
Sirlim Sports Club defeated Salcete FC 2-0 to collect full points in the GFA U-17 Division II League match played at SAG ground, Benaulim, on Monday. Jaylen Gomes and substitute Dallon Niasso scored a goal each for Sirlim SC.