Team Herald
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MAPUSA: Mohammed Faheez’s four-goal blitz enabled Sesa FA to walk past Pax of Nagoa SC in the Goa Professional League match played at Duler Stadium, here, on Thursday.
For Sesa FA’s Faheez struck four goals two in each session of play while for Pax of Nagoa SC Jesloy Moniz and Joseph Clemente pulled two goals.
Both the teams played almost on equal footing in the first quarter of the match.
In the 25th minute, Sesa FA’s U-21 Sankalp Kankonkar set up Mohammed Faheez inside the 18-yard box, but the latter failed to keep his strike inside the goal framework.
However, finally at the half an hour mark, Faheez found Clencio Pinto on the right flank who in turn sent a long low cross back to Faheez inside the penalty box, who slammed the ball into the goal, 1-0.
At the other end, Pax of Nagoa SC should have equalised in the 37th minute as they were awarded a free-kick when Sesa FA’s Daniel Gomes tackled Pax of Nagoa SC’s striker Beneston Barretto outside the penalty box, but direct free-kick by Nickson Castanha came off the far post.
Two more free-kicks by Nickson came off the defender and goalkeeper.
In the 45th minute, Faheez was at the right place at the right time to connect a deep cross inside the Pax of Nagoa SC’s 6-yard box from Thokchom Singh to make it 2-0.
Pax of Nagoa SC coach Mateus Costa came with two substitution upfront Schubert Pereira and Stephen Satarkar at the start of the second session which saw them score in the 56th minute of play.
Desmon Pereira’s free-kick inside the goal area was tapped into the goal by Jesloy Moniz, 2-1.
However, in the very next minute, Sesa FA’s Faheez netted his hat-trick by controlling a floater from Kirtikesh Gadekar and after rounding off Pax of Nagoa SC’s custodian Antonio D’Silva placed the ball home, 3-1.
In the last quarter of the match, Pax of Nagoa SC brought tremendous pressure on the rival citadel but Sesa FA’s custodian Sapam Singh brought three outstanding saves from inside the 18-yard box to deny Nickson Castanha, Schubert Pereira and Josley Gomes strikes.
Finally, in the 81st minute, Pax of Nagoa SC’s Joseph Clemente nodded the ball into the goal off a long free-kick from defender Aditya Salgaocar, 3-2.
Pax of Nagoa SC went all out in search of an equaliser but in the stoppage time unstoppable Faheez pumped in his fourth goal to complete the rout, 4-2.
In another match, Calangute Association downed Churchill Brothers FC 2-0 at SAG ground, Benaulim, on Thursday.
Samuel D’Souza gave the lead to Calangute Association in the 35th minute and later Jovito Fernandes doubled the lead in the 67th minute.