MAPUSA: Milagres Sports Club got the better of rivals St. Anthony’s SC, Marna with a 2-1 win to enhance their chances for the play-off spot in the GFA 2nd Division League match, played at Duler stadium, on Thursday.
Milagres moved to the top of the league table with 16 points from seven matches while St. Anthony’s SC, Marna stay on 15 points from seven matches and remain in contention for the play-off spot.
Milagres were leading 2-0 at half time with goals coming from Diptesh Naik and Edgar while St. Anthony’s players rallied strongly in the second half and pulled a goal back through Sangam Pednekar.
In a keen tussle with both teams eyeing a play-off spot it was Milagres who showed more urgency and nearly opened the scoring in the very 7th minute but Edgar’s strong header off a corner kick by Sidharth rattled the post and went out.
After a midfield duel, Milagres succeeded in breaking the shackles to get the opening goal in the 43rd minute through Diptesh Naik who on receiving a pass from Marc D’Cruz let go a rasping left footed shot which gave no chance to the full stretched Marna keeper.
It got even worse for St. Anthony’s SC when Milagres made it 2-0 in a flash through Edgar who rounded the keeper and finished clinically after being put through by teammate Sidharth.
Changing ends, Milagres nearly got their third goal which would have dashed out any hopes of Marna getting back into the match but, Rohan’s well struck shot which nearly entered the goal, hit the opposition keeper’s leg and came back into play.
Marna got a lifeline when they were able to pull a goal back in the very next minute when Pushparaj’s long throw in found Sangam whose low grounder found the back of the net.
Minutes into the match Edgar had two decent chances of sealing the three points for Milagres, first his firm header was well blocked by the Marna keeper and then his fierce shot was stopped on the goal line by Marna defender, Kashiram.
Marna almost got the equalising goal in the 83d minute but Gopal, to everyone’s dismay could not keep his header goal-wards from a cross delivered by Sangam.
