Team Herald
MAPUSA: Ridding on Lalawmpuia’s brace Goan Football Club got the better of Calangute Association Sports Club 2-1 in the Goa Professional League match organized by GFA played at Duler Stadium, here on Friday.
With Friday’s win, Goan FC have 36 points from 15 matches, while Calangute Association remained on 13 points from 19 matches.
Young Gaurs were leading 2-0 at half time with Lalawmpuia getting both the goals while Jason Lucas reduced the margin for Calangute on crossing ends.
Calangute were quickly out of their blocks and nearly took the lead in the second minute, when Dominic Fernandes released Senegale’s Sidath Nidaye with an intelligent pass but his shot from close range which was almost entering the net was pushed out for a corner by Lalmangaihsanga with a header.
Goan FC responded strongly and went ahead in the very next minute, Liston Colaco’s dangerous free-kick in the penalty box was met by Lalawmpuia with a firm header which had no answer by the Calangute keeper.
In the 12th minute, Lalhmangaihsanga’s header from a corner-kick taken by Liston missed the Calangute post narrowly.
The Young Gaurs consolidated their lead and made it 2-0 in the 32nd minute from the spot kick which was coolly dispatched into the net by Lalawmpuia after referee Pandurang Korgaonkar penalized Runal Shirodkar for his dangerous tackle on Kapil Hoble.
Calangute started the second half with renewed ideas and within four minutes pulled a goal back when Dominic Fernandes measured cross found unmarked substitute Jason Lucas who positioned himself well and smashed the ball into the roof of the net to make it 2-1.
Calangute need to thank their keeper Sanji Bugde for keeping them into the match first by stopping Meldon D’Silva header off Liston’s free-kick from entering the goal and then in the last fifteen minutes keeping out Princeton Rebello and Kapil Hoble cracking shots in finding the back of the net.
Senegale’s Abdoul nearly found the all-important equaliser for Calangute in the 82nd minute but his header from Dalesh Pednekar’s cross missed the post by a whisker to the relief of the Young Gaurs teammates and dugout
In the closing minutes of the match, Referee Pandurang Korgaonkar had to book Calangute’s Dominic and Goan FC Lalawmpuia for deliberately throwing the ball at each other, while a minute later Calangute’s Manager Uday Lingudkar was given marching orders for dissent.
