TEAM HERALD
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MAPUSA: Nagao Sports Club outclassed Sangolda Lightning Club 4-2 in a Second Division State play-off finals football match at Duler Stadium, here, Friday. Sangolda led 2-1 at half time.
Nagoa surged ahead in the ninth minute after Shekar Deepi’s powerful shot took a slight deflection off Sangolda’s Prashant Gaonkar and beat gatekeeper Washington Pereira.
Nagoa couldn’t make most of their advantage as Sangolda regrouped quickly and equalized two minutes later after Surat Kauthankar spotted unmarked Yogesh Mayekar, who tapped in from close range.
Flavio Lopes A Nagoa SC player tackles a Sangolda Lightning Club’s Yogesh Mayekar in a Second Division State play-off finals football match at Duler Stadium, Mapusa, Friday. |
Then onwards it was Nagoa who controlled the proceedings but failed to convert their advantage as Savio Pereira’s 30-yard shot kissed the crosspiece at the half hour mark. Later, Shekar’s attempt was parried away by the rival custodian in the 35th minute.
However, just before the lemon break, Sangolda took the lead. Chandan Govenkar sent in an intelligent through ball to Yogesh, who muscled past a rival defender and beat Nagoa custodian Razaq Devsor with an adroit placement.
After resumption, Savio was unlucky yet again as he saw his venomous shot tipped by goalkeeper Washington which eventually hit the horizontal and fell back into play.
Nagoa were building up some dangerous moves but the strong rival defence line left them frustrated. Their patience finally bore fruit in the 83rd minute after defender Samir Chodankar leaped over the rival defence and headed in off a flag-kick from substitute Shaik Ali to make it 2-2.
The last five minutes was full of excitement as Nagoa pumped in two goals in the span of three minutes through Ali in the 87th and 90th minutes, Mansoor Khan being the provider on both occasions.
This is Nagoa’s second win in the state play-off league with one game to go while Sangolda have one point after being held to a goalless draw in their first match against Raia.
