MAPUSA: Goa Police Sports Club put up a valiant display to hold Goa Velha Sports Club to a goalless draw and split points in the GFA’s Geno First Division League, at Duler stadium, here, on Friday.
Goa Velha were unlucky not to be on the winning side despite dominating the entire match as they just could not get the ball into the back of the net.
In the 14th minute, Akash Sanadi’s dangerous cross in the Goa Police box was well met by Irfan Yadwad with a diving header which went inches wide of the goal post.
Goa Police had the best chance to surprise their opponents when Shelford Fernandes outfoxed a couple of defenders and relayed the ball to Diptesh who surprisingly could not get the better of the keeper from close range.
In the 39th minute, Goa Velha’s Aksha free-kick which was nearly creeping in saw keeper Niklesh Naik dive full stretch to get his gloves to the ball which hit the crossbar and came into play.
Minutes before the breather, Goa Velha’s Arun Naik was a bit late in getting a touch to an inch perfect cross put in the box by Joseph.
Crossing ends, Goa Velha nearly broke the deadlock in the 50th minute but Irfan who was nearly through was stopped in his tracks by alert Police keeper Niklesh after being teed up by Francis Pawar.
In the 71st minute, Irfan with the Police keeper Niklesh in a one-to-one situation from an intelligent pass by Mashaka shot wide.
Police nearly sealed full three points in the closing minutes with two golden chances first Sezwin could not kept his shot goal wards from a neat build up play between Shelford and Shaikh Saliya and then Goa Velha’s keeper Soma Korgaonkar brought the save of the match with an acrobatic save to deny Shaikh well struck shot from finding the net.
Goa Velha’s Soma Korgaonkar was rightly awarded the man-of-the-match award by former National player Shanti Tople.
