Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: Mandoppa Navelim Sports Club fought gallantly to clinch the prestigious Hotel Goan Heritage Soccer Cup 2016 with a narrow1-0 win over host Calangute Association, at Poriat ground, Calangute, recently.
Buoyed by the huge home crowd support, Calangute Association put up a good performance, but their strikers lost ideas on entering the danger zone.
Mandoppa Navelim SC Mandoppa keeper Cleton Gomes put up a splendid display under the horizontal bar, frustrating Ashley Lobo and Blake Haldankar on several occasions.
Ashley Lobo saw his effort from either flank being kept away by the keeper while Blake Haldankar’s effort from close range missed the target narrowly.
Crossing over, Mandoppa Navelim SC stepped up the tempo of the match, where in the 40th minute Jasper Pereira’s powerful strike was pushed for a corner by Calangute Association custodian Selwyn D’Souza.
Four minutes later, Mandoppa Navelim SC scored the only goal of the match when Revan Pereira rose high above his marker to head in Anthony’s corner, 1-0.
Calangute Association tried hard to restore parity, but the much needed goal eluded them till the very end. Gajanand Kerkar, president of Calangute Association welcomed the gathering and introduced the chief guest Tony Cordeiro, senior director of Gulf Goans Hotels Co. Ltd, Guest of Honour Joseph Sequeira, vice chairman of Gulf Goan’s Hotels Co. Ltd, Fr. Cipriano da Silva (Parish Priest of St Alex Church, Calangute), Filomena Fernandes, sarpanch of Village Panchayat of Calangute, special invitees Sydney D’Cunha, General Manager of Hotel Goan Heritage, all directors of Gulf Goan’s Hotels Co. Ltd, panch members of Village Panchayat of Calangute to the teams and match officials.
Mandoppa Navelim SC returned home richer with the winners cash prize of Rs 40,000 plus trophy while Calangute Association had to be content with the runners-up cash prize of Rs 30,000 plus trophy.
Individual prizes were awarded to: First scorer of the final Revan Pereira, Best striker Aulon Gomes (both Mandoppa Navelim SC); Best midfielder Colin Sieiro (Calangute Association), Best defender Navin Pereira (Mandoppa Navelim SC), Best goalkeeper Selwyn D’Souza (Calangute Association). Padam Nair, vice president of Calangute Association proposed the vote of thanks.
