TEAM HERALD
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: Mohan Pillai scored in what was the last kick of the match to salvage Sangolda Lightning Club a point by holding El-Shaddai Sports and Cultural Club to a 2-2 draw in GFA’s U-16 football league match (Bardez zone) at Tivim ground, Thursday. Sangolda led 1-0 at half time.
Sangolda got off to a perfect start and surged ahead in the fifth minute when Mohan nodded in a perfect cross from the left flank by Elliot Pereira. El-Shaddai were caught on the back-foot as they struggled to create any openings. The only effort to equalize in the first half came through Agni Ahmed’s free-kick which sailed inches over.
El-Shaddai coach, Valentine Ezuko had some encouraging words for his boys during the break as they took on the pitch with a renewed sense of purpose. They levelled terms six minutes after the restart through Kirtesh Parsekar. It was Agni’s long free-kick from the midfield which Sangolda keeper Inacio Fernandes failed to collect as Kirtesh made much of the given opportunity and muscled past the rival players to simply toe in.
El-Shaddai were spurred with equalizer and looked more confident. Their attacking approach helped and created panic in the rival defence. In the 59th minute, El-Shaddai’s Dwayne Noronha earned his team a penalty after going down in the penalty box, rather too easily off a challenge from a rival defender even though Sangolda coach, Alex Alvares’ protest went in vain. Tushar Mishra stepped up for the spot-kick and made no mistake to give El-Shaddai the lead, 2-1.
Subsequently, substitute Jesmon Fernandes had a golden opportunity to inflate El-Shaddai’s lead but the striker delayed in front of the open goal which allowed Sangolda’s Kewal Chodankar to come up with a timely clearance. The match became frantic in the injury time with Sangolda piling pressure on their rivals and to everyone’s surprise Mohan restored parity in style, half volleying from 25-yards.
Post-match, the coaches were unhappy with the match official over several incidents that didn’t go their way but in the end, the result was fair enough.
