MAPUSA: Vasco Sports Club held Churchill Brothers to a 2-2 draw in the Goa Professional League match, organised by Goa Football Association, played at Duler Stadium, here on Wednesday.
With this draw, Vasco have 16 points from 13 matches, while Churchill have six points from seven outings.
Vasco had an upper hand over the I-League outfit as they had defeated Churchill by 4-1 margin n the first encounter of the league.
Whereas, Vasco were also in good form as they had edged out Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim in the previous round match.
Churchill, on the other hand, were playing for the first time in the year 2018 as most of their matches were postponed due to I-League commitments.
The Red Machines coach Alfred Fernandes fielded most of the reserve players from the I-League side, whereas, Vasco started without their Guinean midfielder Vasseba Toure who was suspended due to double booking in the last matches, whereas, Leny Fernandes and Franky Oliviera made a comeback in the starting XI for the Port Towners.
Vasco were the first to look at the goal in the very first minutes when defender Minesh Kunkolkar tried his luck from the left flank but Churchill keeper Ricardo Cardozo brilliantly tipped it for a corner.
A few minutes later, keeper Ricardo was once again in action when he made a diving effort to stop Vasco skipper Schubert Pereira’s powerful strike from 25 yards.
Another chance for Vasco went begging in the 25th minute when Franky shot wide from inside the box after getting a through pass from Flan Gomes.
However, in the 30th minute, Franky brilliantly found the net with an overhead kick from close off Anil Gaoncar’s cut-back cross from inside the box to make it 1-0 for the Port Towners.
Down by a goal, Churchill quickly regrouped and came up with an equaliser in the 38th minute as striker Joshuah’s shot from the edge of the box crashed into the net to make it all square for the Red Machines.
With just two minutes left for half-time, Joshuah scored once again to take Churchill into the lead as the striker made an easy tap-in from handshaking distance after Vasco keeper Suresh Lamani’s block to Pankaj Sona’s goal-bound header rolled to his feet.
Vasco should have equalised in the early stage of the second session when Flan was left with just keeper to beat after collecting Franky’s through pass but Churchill keeper Ricardo thwarted him in a one-on-one situation.
Vasco found the equaliser in the 70th minute when their skipper Schubert edged past two Churchill defenders and blasted into the net from close to make it all equal for his side.
In the last quarter of the match, Churchill had two great chances but first Vasco defender Myran Pereira came up with a brilliant header to clear Joshuah’s goal-bound header off the goal line, whereas, in the added time substitute Mannas Sarkar missed a sitter as he shot the ball wide from close after getting a hold on a cross from another substitute Britto PM with Vasco keeper Suresh Lamani completely out of position.
