MAPUSA: Cortalim Villagers SC started their campaign in the Goa Police Football Cup 2023 organised by Goa Police Sports Cell in association with Goa Football Association, with a well-deserved 2-0 win over Calangute Association SC, at Duler Stadium, here, on Saturday.
Both the teams did start aggressively but it was Cortalim Villagers who scored two quick goals in the 9th and 10th minute through Velroy Carvalho and Prathmesh Gaonkar.
In the 9th minute, Velroy Carvalho collecting a loose ball inside the 18-yard box drilled a stiff grounder past the helpless Calangute goalkeeper Sanij Bugde 1-0.
Hardly had the cheers died down in the Cortalim Villagers camp, the Salcete side doubled their lead with striker Prathmesh Gaonkar connecting Preston Fernandes cross into the goal 2-0.
Beachside lads tried to regroup themselves and came with some threatening moves inside the rival territory but Cortalim skipper Clive Miranda curbed their attack with due support from his custodian Francis Vincent.
In the 35th minute, Calangute Association SC should have reduced the margin where a teasing cross by Jovito Fernandes was timely cleared for a corner by defender Velroy Carvalho.
At the other end, five minutes later Cortalim Villagers SC’s striker Vikram Venkatchalam dribbled past a host of rival defenders and drove a hot-blooded shot which was blocked by Calangute Association SC’s goalkeeper Sanij Bugde at the expense of a corner.
On crossing over, play was mostly restricted to midfield play.
Cortalim Villagers SC Vikram Venkatchalam received the man-of-the-match award from DySP Rupendra Shetgaonkar.
At Salvador de Mundo ground, GENO SC defeated Panjim Footballers by 2-1 margin. Chaitan Komarpant and Mahammaed Faheez scored for Geno colts in the first session. Shaviz Pathan pulled a goal for Panjim Footballers.
At Guirim ground, Guardian Angel managed to edge past Pax of Nagoa by 2-1 margin. Clifton Rebello and Gilbert Oliveira scored for Guardian Angels’s while for Pax of Nagoa, Velroy Fernandes scored.
At Sirsaim ground, Sesa Football Academy drubbed BAFF by 7-0 margin. Shridharnath Gawas (2), Thokchom Singh (2), Daniel Gomes, Clencio Pinto and Joshua D’Silva were the goal scorers.
