GOA RETAIN NAT FUTSAL CROWN

Team Herald

MAPUSA: Goa successfully defended their Senior National Futsal Championships in the men's and women's category respectively, at Peddem Sports Complex, Mapusa, on Tuesday.

While the men's team registered a hard fought 3-2 win over Maharashtra, women's team eased past Karnataka, 3-1.

In the men's final, Goa got off to a good start as they netted the first goal of the day through Fredson Marshall who received a well placed pass from Michael Silva in the 2nd minute itself to give Goa an early 1-0 lead. Following the goal, Michael created another chance but found his shot sent away by the keeper. 

For the Maharashtra team, the first attempt was created by Damanpreet Singh but he failed to find support for his well placed cross. Both teams displayed good passing as Goa tried to dominate possession through Savio Fernandes and Michael Silva.

Hanslum Furtado tapped the ball inside to Fredsan but an alert Maharashtra keeper sent it off in the 10th minute. 

D Singh of Maharashtra was impressive with his runs but failed to place his shot as his two shots were placed high from the target.  Vishal Magre and Manish Punjabi came close to scoring but the Goa keeper Sugitesh saved a goal-line attempt created by Maharashtra.

Maharashtra kept putting pressure and pushed Goa back but Savio Fernandes was resolute to foil the attempts created by Maharashtra’s Manish and Seaon Victor.

For Goa, Savio Fernandes came close to scoring but his shot was well cleared by Leon Nesamani.  Caetano Fernandes shot into the goal to give Goa a 2-0 lead in the 18th minute.

Goa should have gone in the half with a 3-0 lead but Savio Fernandes' shot was well caught by the Maharashtra keeper. 

Post resumption, Goa created the first attempt through Michael Silva but found his shot go wide. Manish S should have scored for Maharashtra off a free-kick but his shot went way wide.

Goa’s Michael had a brilliant run but his shot hit the post denying Goa a third goal in the game. On the counter attack, D Singh placed his shot a whisker away from the target. The Goa keeper came up with a series of saves. Vishal Magre was another well performed player for the Maharashtra side. 

Twelve minutes in the second half, Maharashtra's D. Singh’s powerful shot was well placed by him to net the ball in and to take the score to 2-1.

Fredsan came off the bench but missed to score as his shot went off target. Maharashtra came back into the game as D Singh levelled thing up in the 17th minute. 

But their joy was short lived as Caetano Fernandes scored in the next minute to give Goa the lead and the trophy.

Earlier, Goa women defeated Karnataka 3-1.

Goa began the game on an attacking note and scored in the 4th minute through Velanie Fernandes who missed her first attempt as it was hit straight into the keeper’s hands. 

With a one goal lead in the most important game, the Goan side didn't stop as they kept trying and came close to scoring but Reema Noronha shot the ball wide. The initial minutes saw the Karnataka side not create a single chance. But as the game progressed, Tania and Lilly looked dangerous for the Karnataka team as they both came close to scoring but failed to time their shots. 

In the 9th minute, Aishwarya shot the ball high for the Karnataka side. On the other side, the Karnataka keeper Vinaya came up with some brilliant goal bound saves to prevent any further damage.

Karnataka came out with some good passing but a resolute Michel Castanha stood solid in the defence and didn't allow them to score. Rasiga and Lilly were close to scoring but failed to time their shots.

On the counter attempt, Reema Noronha placed her low strike on target but it was once again the keeper who saved it but she couldn't do anything to Sujita Murgaokar's low shot which went past the keeper to take Goa's lead to two goals in the first half.

Moving over, Karnataka were determined to open their tally and this was evident as Sanjana came with two back-to-back attempts as both her shots were placed on target but the Goa keeper saved it.  

On the counter attack, Karnataka pulled one down courtesy to Aishwarya who placed her powerful shot in the nets making the score 2-1. 

But Goa were strong as Reema came close to scoring but her shot was blocked by the away keeper. Velanie Fernandes added another for Goa in the final minutes of the game off a mistake by the Karnataka keeper. Goa hung on to their lead to retain the championship.

Earlier in the day, Mizoram defeated Karnataka 7-1 to win the third place in the men's category while Mumbai beat Madhya Pradesh 1-0 in the women's category. 

 In an exhibition game, Glen Five Bardez beat Benjamin Five Salcete 1-0.

 The prizes and trophies were distributed in presence of the chief guest Pramod Sawant, Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly, Sunil Purnapatre, Futsal Association of India (FAI) Secretary General, Benjamin Silva President of Futsal Association of Goa and other members of the Futsal Association of Goa (FAG).