Goa rout Punjab

Goa rout Punjab
HERALD SPORTS DESK
PANJIM, JULY 31
Cavin Lobo scored a brace as Goa brighten their chances for a place in the semi-finals defeating Punjab 3-0 in their second Group A league encounter at Salt Lake stadium, Kolkata on Saturday. There was no score at half time.
In a gripping encounter, the best match of the quarter-final league so far, the teams  dished out entertaining fare.
The teams started the match on an aggressive note with Goa looking sharp and combined in comparison to their last match against Karnataka.
Milagres Gonsalves saw his right footer sailing over the woodwork as Goa got the first opportunity to score, while Punjab came close through Balraj’s right footer, which was marginally wide off the target.
At the stroke of half time, Goa almost scored the opener, but to their frustration, Peter Carvalho’s shot hit the crossbar.
After the breather, Goa stepped up the gas  and came close to breaking the deadlock  through substitute Adil Khan whose left footer was just off target before Cavin Lobo drew first blood for Goa in the 57th minute.
Cavin exchanged a couple of passes with Adil before placing his right footer to the right of Punjab goalkeeper Paramjit Singh.
After trailing by a goal, Punjab showed some urgency to level terms but, once again were left frustrated with Parveen Kumar failing to connect from close range. The JCT striker just needed to tap in a cross from the right, but failed to connect it in the 60th minute.
Goa custodian and captain Felix D’Souza then came up with the save of the day clawing away brilliantly Parveen Kumar’s header for a corner.
Punjab kept on lurking in the opponents half in search of the equaliser, but Cavin Lobo sealed the match in Goa’s favour scoring in the 90th minute before Branco Cardozo headed in a Nicolas Rodrigues flag-kick in the added time.
Goa are sitting at the top of Group A with six points from two matches, while Punjab have slipped down to third place after Services defeated Karnataka 2-1 in earlier encounter today. 
Goa will meet Services on August 3.
GOA: Felix D’Souza, Mathew Gonasalves, Rowilson Rodrigues, Covan Lawrence, Fulgancio Cordozo, Joseph Pereira (Adil Khan), Savio Carneiro (Cavin Lobo), Godwin Franco, Nicolas Rodrigues, Milagres Gonsalves (Branco Cardozo), Peter Carvalho.
Services notched up their first victory in the quarter-final league edging past Karnataka 2-1 in a Group A encounter. 
After going down to Punjab in the first encounter, Services looked sharp in their attack and spurned numerous chances in the first half , but failed to break the jinx as the scoreline read 0-0 after the end of first half.
Services broke the deadlock in the 55th minute through captain and centre-back Dileep. M finding the target.
J. Karthigeyan brought Karnataka back on level terms in the 70th minute after he was left unmarked by the Services defenders.
Substitutes Shaji D’Silva then, handed Services three precious points scoring the winner six minutes later as Services kept their hopes alive for a place in the semi-finals, while Karnataka are virtually out of the tournament after going down in both their matches. There will be no matches on Sunday.