Team Herald
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MAPUSA: Milagres Sports Club enhanced their chances for the play-off spot with a thumping 5-2 win over Pilerne Sports Club in the eighth-round league match of the GFA’s 2nd Division league, at Duler stadium, here, on Monday.
The first half was evenly fought with both teams locked 1-1 but changing ends Milagres ran away with the match firing in four goals to enhance their chances for the play-off spot with 19 points.
Pilerne had their chance early in the match to open the scoring but Anson D`Souza fluffed his lines at the crucial point while at the other end Edgar Noronha and Marc D`Cruz failed to show more composure in front of the goal.
Pilerne finally managed to break the deadlock in the 24th minute when Milagres keeper Utkaras Khorjuenkar was pulled by referee Sainath Haldankar for collecting the ball just outside the penalty box. Rajat Chopdekar who stepped forward saw his free-kick crash into the net to give his side the lead.
Milagres scuffed a golden chance of levelling terms in the 32nd minute when they were awarded a penalty after Stanley D`Silva brought down Edgar Noronha inside the penalty box. Diptesh Naik who took the responsibility saw his spot kick brilliantly blocked by Pilerne keeper Krupesh.
However, it did not take long for Milagres to find the equaliser which came from skipper Sidharth Kundaikar who wonderfully connected Diptesh’s perfect cross into the goal, 1-1.
Milagres were a different unit on changing ends as they ran rampant and got their second goal in the 57th minute through Edgar Noronha who on getting hold off a pass from Sidharth beat the advancing Pilerne keeper with a low grounder to make it 2-1
Pilerne who had shown so much grit in the first session were completely blown apart in the second half as Milagres pumped in three more goals through Rohan Naik, Edgar Noronha and Diptesh Naik.
Pilerne managed to get a consolation goal through substitute Anant Chopdekar but the damage to their play-off hopes was already done to make it 5-2.
