MAPUSA: Nigerian striker Adileja Somide scored a hat-trick as Gokulam Football Club secured a resounding 5-0 win over Vasco Sports Club in the 1st AWES Cup, organised by Goa Football Association (GFA) and Dempo Sports Club Juniors played at Duler Stadium, on Friday.
Vasco were in a poor form as they had lost their first match 5-1 against Sporting Clube de Goa. While Gokulam were at their very best having won all of their preseason matches.
Vasco coach made a few changes to his side as Lenny Fernandes, Minesh Kunkolkar and Sherwin Lobo replaced Treyson D’Costa, Savio Dias, Anil Gaonkar. He also included Ivorian winger Alves Kouassi in the Starting XI.
While Gokulam Coach Bino George named the Nigerian forward Adileja Somide and the defender Ugochukwu Godswill in his starting XI.
It was Gokulam who had an early chance to take the lead but Nigerian forward Adileja shot wide from inside the box after intercepting Godfrey’s back pass, with keeper Suresh Lamani out of position.
Vasco also replied them with a quick attack but Vasco’s lone striker Beneston Barreto shot wide from the 18-yard box off Shubert Pereira’s lofted pass.
A few minutes later, Adileja put his side ahead when he shot past keeper Suresh after taking control of Alves’s back pass in the box. 1-0,
Gokulam had another chance to boost their lead but Vasco defender Myran made an excellent clearance to Shihad Nelliparamban attempt from the close as the ball hit the striker before going out for a goal-kick.
At the half hour mark, Vasco keeper Suresh came with a brilliant block to deny Arif Shaikh’s sizzling shot from inside of the box.
The later part of the half witnessed a dominant football from the visitors as they came up with numerous attacks on the opponents and finally after wasting a few chances, Gokulam doubled their lead through Ashique Usman with just three minutes to halftime whistle. The midfielder made an easy tap-in to Adileja’s ground pass from inside the box. The move was initiated by Arif Shaikh.
On crossing over, Vasco came back with some impressive football as they manage to hold the ball for long and quick attacks in between. However, they could not manage to slit the defensive tactics of the opponents as their every move died in the final third.
At the other end, Gokulam inflated their lead when the Nigerian forward Adileja made an individual run dribbling past few defenders to enter the box and made no mistake to beat the keeper Suresh Lamani in his final touch, 3-0.
The substitute Arjun Jayaraj made it 4-0 for the Gokulam in the 78th minutes. Adileja was once again involved in the move as his smart pass found fresh-leg Arjun in front of the goal who easily beat the Vasco keeper and placed the ball at the far post.
A few minutes later, Vasco keeper Suresh advanced a bit to deny Arjun in a one-on-one situation.
In the dying minutes of the match, Vasco also had an opportunity to reduce their margin but Gokulam keeper Hemand Ghosh’s diving effort blocked Beneston’s powerful strike from entering the goal.
In the added time, Adileja scored team’s fifth and completed his hat-trick with a simple header from the goal mouth after Vasco defenders failed to clear the long throw in from the Dibin M.D.
