TEAM HERALD
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: Holy Cross Sports Club, Arambol edged out Parra Verla Canca Association, Parra 6-4 via the tie-breaker in the quarter-finals of GFA’s 3rd Division football league Bardez zone play-offs at Sangolda ground, Monday. The teams were locked 1-1 at full time.
The teams started attackingly right from the word go and it took Arambol 12 minutes to open the scoring, incidentally through jersey number 12 Jan Rodrigues. A defensive error saw Jan capitalize and dribble past two rival defenders before slotting past rival keeper Clinton D’Souza.
Parra tried to regroup and almost equalized at the half hour mark but Vijayendra Shetye’s rasping free-kick was blocked by Arambol custodian Kewan D’Souza.
Just before the break, Hemant Rodrigues had a glorious chance to double their lead when Parra goalkeeper fumbled in his connection but Allwyn shot straight into keeper Kewan.
Post resumption, Clinton came up with a diving save to deny Jan from long range and then Hemant’s placement missed the mark narrowly as Arambol continued to attack.
In the final quarter, Arambol created better chances but took things lightly in protecting their slender lead.
However, with three minutes to go for the final whistle Parra equalized as Atish Mirazjkar skillfully rounded off the rival keeper to slot in the empty framework.
In the penalty shoot-out Arambol had the last laugh as Amit Fernandes, Antonio Rodrigues, Sunny D’Souza and Vitorino De Souza scored while Claudes Pacheco, Lourenco Fernandes and Vijayendra Shetye converted for Parra with Myron Furtado shooting wide.
