MAPUSA: Guardian Angel pip Goan Football Club as they secured a solitary goal win in the Goa Professional League match, organised by Goa Football Association (GFA), played at Duler Stadium, on Friday.
Goan coach Clifford Miranda included Princeton Rebello who recently represented India U-19 side in the AFC U-19 Championship Qualifiers, while Goan continued to miss services of their start striker Liston Colaco who was busy with their ISL side. Midfielder Leander D’cunha and defender Franzil Negredo were the other changes in the squad.
On the other hand, Angels who lost their previous match to Vasco SC, also made few changes on their side as Goalkeeper Ram Sroop and defender Sanwil D’Costa were back in the playing XI.
Goan created the first chance of the match in the 3rd minutes when Yasir Mohammad’s brilliant through pass found Jonathan Cardozo in the box but the midfielder shot inch-wide from 10-yards.
Very next minute, Angels came up with a swift attack as their foreign striker Abel Hammond flicked off the ball from Goan keeper Iprotip Das’ hands but unfortunately, none of his teammates was present there to finish the ball home as Goan defenders clear the danger on time.
At the other end, Goan’s Leander went for the glory from distance but Angels custodian Sroop made a diving save to keep his side safe.
Though the Junior Gaurs were the dominant side, Angels surprised them with an early goal in the 12th minutes when the Goan’s sloppy defending saw Abel placing the ball home from just inside the box to put his side ahead.
Goan recovered from the early goal and marched many times on the opponents but aimless finishing limited them from the scoring.
Yasir who was in charge of the attacking in the absence of their regular striker Aaron D’Silva made an excellent through pass to Leander in the box but the midfielder shot wide from inside the box.
The junior Gaurs had the golden opportunity in the 45th minutes when Princeton made a pin-point perfect through pass to Yasir who just had to beat the keeper but Angels’ keeper came off his line to block the forward in the one-on-one.
On crossing over, Angels had a chance to double their lead in the very first minute but Abel saw his powerful shot missed the target by few inches. A few minutes later, Alson Fernandes should have doubled Angels lead when he was nicely fed by Nicholas Rodrigues with a fine corner but the striker headed wide from close.
In the 68th minutes, Yasir made a cross to find Saviour Gama in the box but the winger failed to connect his header from 6-yards as the ball went into the waiting hands of the keeper Sroop.
A minute later, Goan wasted another opportunity, as this time Jason Barbosa headed over the crossbar off Kinglsee Fernandes’ short cross from inside the box.
The later part of the match witnessed few more attacks from the Junior Gaurs but Angels defender stood tall to restrict the opponents from scoring as Angels grabbed all three points from the match.
