Team Herald
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MAPUSA: Goan Warriors Sports Club registered a comprehensive 3-1 win over Assonora United in the 7th round match of the GFA 2nd Division league, played at Duler stadium on Tuesday.
It was a must needed win for the Goan Warriors to avoid relegation with all the goals coming-in in the second-half with Oscar D’Souza bagging himself a brace and Rahul Naik chipping amongst the goal scorers while Dikshay pulled one back for Goan Warriors.
Goan Warriors started aggressively that forced brilliant saves from Assonora’s keeper Siddhant very early in the match kept out Chetan’s rasping shot and then pushed out Pundalik’s stinging shot for a corner. Assonora, against the run of play had a decent chance of opening the scoring but Kanaya could not sort out his feet in time to apply a finishing touch to a perfect cross delivered by Stepelton to which a relieve of Goan Warriors keeper Soma Korgaonkar cleared the ball to safety.
Goan Warriors kept squandering chances time and again with Chetan being the main culprit as he just could not find the back of the net, despite all the hard-work done by his teammates, Pundalik and Oscar. Assonora almost punished Goan Warriors for their missed chances in the second-half but Kingsley D`Souza’s low grounder was timely stopped by Shivanand Naik before it could cross the goal line.
Minutes later, Kanaya’s firm shot was parried by keeper Soma and the ball rebounded to Dikshay who to everyone’s surprise shot wide with an open goal gaping in front of him.
Goan Warriors finally broke the deadlock when a defence-splitting pass by substitute Kunal Virnodkar to Oscar D`Souza caught the Assonora defence off-guard to calmly placed the ball into the back of the net.
It did not take long for Assonora to get the equalizer which came in the 69th minute from the penalty spot which was dispatched by Dikshay.
The penalty was awarded after Goan Warriors’ defender Santil had brought down Stepelton inside the penalty box.
But the goal did not deter the spirit of the Goan Warriors who fought back and made it 2-1 through Oscar D’Souza who finished clinically from a cross delivered by Chetan.
Any comeback hopes for Assonora were left shattered as Goan Warriors sealed all three points in the 85th minute when Rahul Naik’s shot struck a defender and entered the net with the keeper going in the other direction.
Meanwhile, at Taleigao ground, Young Boys of Tonca recorded a fluent 2-0 win over Aivao United FC.
Young Boys of Tonca scored a goal each in either session of play. Young Boys of Tonca took the lead in the 18th minute through Pandurang Gauns.
The teams implemented a more possession style of play which saw both teams hardly test the keeper. In the second-half, Aivao attacked on occasional play but couldn’t get the breakthrough. At the other end, Young Boys of Tonca scored their second in the 88th minute through Amlesh Shirodkar.
In another match at Agassaim ground, CDJ Ribandar eased past Ronit Sports Club 4-2. Ronhit Pilgaonkar, Nikhil Yadav, Kedar scored for the winners along with Amey’s goal which helped CDJ Ribandar take the goal tally up to four goals, while Antonio D’Costa and Bhavesh Pereira pulled a goal back for the losing side.
