MAPUSA: Sesa Football Academy managed to register a narrow 1-0 win over Panjim Footballers in the Goa Professional League played at Duler Stadium here on Thursday.
With this win Sesa FA move to 10 points with two matches to play, while Panjim Footballers remain on 10 points.
It was Capital side that had better of the exchanges and attempts at the rival goal where early in the match a 25-yard shot by Joyson Gauncar was brilliantly pushed for a corner by Sesa keeper Roanal Gaunkar with a full stretched diving save. He then put his strong hands to deny Llyod Cardozo’s right-foot shot from just outside the 6-yard box for a corner.
At the other end in the 19th minute, a well executed free kick from Sameer Kashyap was headed by Myran Pereira which was blocked by keeper Preston Rego and the ball rolled at the feet of Minesh Kunkolkar who tapped it into the empty goal, 1-0.
Down by a goal Capital side went all out in search of the equaliser where Joyson Gauncar shot off a diagonal pass from Lloyd missed the target narrowly while minutes later Sesa keeper Roanal left his line to clear the ball from outside the penalty box before Llyod Cardozo could finish.
Panjim Footballers’ another glorious chance went in vain in the 43rd minute where a long ball by U20 Pandurang Gauns at the far end was connected by Chandan Gawas which travelled to Llyod who failed to score.
Sameer Kashyap darted inside the penalty box and sent a cut back pass to unmarked substitute Kunal Salgaonkar who latched onto a power-packed right footer which was blocked by keeper Preston Rego at the first post.
At the other end Panjim Footballers had a chance to level terms but a 35-yard free kick by Akash Sanadi at the far post was pushed for a corner by keeper Roanal.
It was curtains down for the Capital side in the 89th minute had Sesa’s Faheez Mohammed scored from the opportunity he had, but the latter after dribbling two defenders shot in the gloves of keeper Preston. And then in the stoppage time Faheez saw his placement come off the far post.
