TEAM HERALD
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: Joy Nair’s five-goal blitz helped Goa United Sports Academy, Calangute thrash Dunes Sports Club 8-0 in a GFA under-14 football league play-off final (Bardez zone) at Poriat ground, Calangute, Friday. Goa United led 3-0 at half time.
Dunes had beaten Sesa Football Academy 1-0 to make it to this stage and Goa United did not take their opponents lightly and went all-out from the kick-off.
Goa United midfielder, Lionel D’Souza opened the floodgates in the eighth minute after the latter’s 30-yard grounder took an uneven bounce in front of Dunes goalkeeper Shridhar Pujar and entered the goal.
Shridhar had a busy evening as Goa United strikers tested him at regular intervals.
At the other end, Dunes were a disjointed lot and lost the ball rather easily in the midfield and their strikers found it hard to get past the strong rival defence.
Goa United did not allow their rivals to settle down and doubled their lead in the 23rd minute through Joy, who beat goalkeeper Shridhar with a deft placement.
Seven minutes later, Joy registered his brace from inside the box after beautifully curling past the rival custodian.
Just before the lemon break, Dunes had their first shot on goal but Austin Rodrigues’ promising long ranger sailed inches over.
In the second session, Goa United continued their dominance as Lionel unleashed a powerful outside the box shot for his second goal.
Subsequently, substitute Abhijit Parwar joined the party with his 47th minute strike and Joy registered a hat-trick in the 52nd, 57th and 60th minutes to round off the tally.
