RAIA: A goal in the injury time by Joebern Cardozo helped host Goa to salvage 1-1 draw against Gujarat in the Santosh trophy Group A league match played at SAG ground, Benaulim, on Friday.
In the earlier match, Kerala had registered their second win with a 6-1 margin over Jammu and Kashmir.
Goa and Gujarat collected a point each from this match. Goa are now with four points from two matches while Gujarat opened their account with a point from two matches.
Goa started in an aggressive mode but missed early scoring chances through Trijoy Dias and Dattaraj Gaonkar in the first 10 minutes of play.
Gujarat who lost their first league match played their second match with intensity and created their first dangerous move in the 12th minute but Chunsaba Dariam lost his control and failed to find the target.
Goa had an opportunity to take the lead but Selwyn Miranda’s powerful header just missed the target off a cross from Clive Miranda. Goa’s goalkeeper Antonio Da Silva, who excelled in the first session, made a splendid save that denied Chunsaba from taking the lead. His powerful shot from the top of the box was punched away to safety by Da Silva.
Goa started their second session with an attacking brand of soccer but missed scoring chances at the start through Selwyn Mirnda, Joebern and Deeshank Kunkalikar.
Earlier, a dangerous move of Lloyd Cardozo was foiled by defender Rudrarajsinh Jadeja. It was hard working skipper Chunsaba who gave the lead to Gujarat with the free-kick which beat Goa’s agile goalkeeper Da Silva.
Shocked by a sudden goal, Goa increased the pace of the match and created many moves from both flanks but with no results.
First substitute Chaitan Komarpant’s free-kick was punched away for safety by goalkeeper Avikumar Joshi. Later, Trijoy Dias, Joebern and Necio Fernandes missed goal scoring opportunities. The equaliser was scored in the 9th minute of the injury time by Joebern with an accurate placement which gave no chance to Gujarat goalkeeper.
In the earlier match of the day, Kerala drubbed Jammu and Kashmir by a 6-1 margin after leading 3-0 at the breather. Jithin Gopalkrishnan scored a brace followed by a goal by Sajeesh, Muhammad Azhar and substitute Abdu Raheem and Riswananli Edakkavil for Kerala. The only goal for Jammu and Kashmir was scored by Faisal Maqsood Thakur in the second session.
