Team Herald
MAPUSA: Cunchelim Sports Club huffed and puffed to get the better of St. Anthony’s Sports Club, Marna 2-1 in the GFA’s 2nd Division League match played at Duler Stadium, here on Saturday.
In a hard-fought battle both the teams were locked 1-1 at half time.
Marna started brightly and in the eighth minute Videsh Sawant’s long range shot ricocheted off the crossbar and went out with the keeper stranded to his spot.
Cunchelim who were slow in getting out of their blocks took the lead in the 20th minute through an unmarked Ganesh Poojar from an inch perfect cross by Nayan Virnodkar.
Ganesh should have consolidated the lead in the 37th minute but only with keeper at his mercy failed in finding the net from a well combined move between Rohan Kamble and Nayan Virnodkar.
Marna who were pedestrians for most part of the first half managed to go on level terms before half time. Videsh Sawant’s fierce shot was acrobatically stopped by the Cunchelim keeper Siraj Banaulikar and the ball came to Vipul Pednekar whose first time volley had no answer from the keeper to make it 1-1.
Crossing ends both teams showed more urgency and went all out in search of the much needed goal.
Marna keeper Siraj kept his side in the match as he brought up two saves in quick succession in the 67th minute stopping Ganesh Poojar and Mahableshwar Thanekar’s strikes from finding the net.
Cunchelim finally hit the match winning goal in the 85th minute when Mahableshwar provided the finishing touches to Ganesh Poojar’s clever pass that caught the entire Marna defence napping to make it 2-1.
Mahableshwar nearly got his second goal in the added time but was once again was denied by the brilliance of the Marna keeper Siraj.
