MAPUSA: Panjim Footballers Sports Club put up a spirited display to hold Sporting Clube de Goa to a goalless draw in the Goa Professional League organised by GFA, at Duler ground, here, on Wednesday.
The result was a huge setback for the Flaming Oranje side as they lost the chance to move to the second position and remained on third position with 36 points from 16 matches, while Panjim Footballers have 15 points from 21 matches.
Panjim Footballers were very impressive and had they converted the chances created the score-line would have been different.
It was Sporting who had the first crack at the goal when George D’Souza curling free-kick in the 13th minute was kept out for a corner by keeper Sherwin Da Cunha.
Minutes later, George found Marcus Mascarenhas with an inch perfect cross inside the danger box who surprisingly headed the ball out with only the Panjim keeper Sherwin at his mercy.
Panjim keeper Sherwin was brilliant under the bar, stopping skipper Victorino Fernandes’ rasping left footer from crashing into the net in the 27th minute.
Had Daryl Costa got his header to a ball was delivered inside the penalty box by Chandan Gawas, Panjim would have been leading by a goal in the 36th minute.
Crossing ends, the Capital side showed more urgency than their opponents and in the 55th minute Vallmiky Miranda after controlling a long ball from Daryl Costa unleashed a firm shot which unluckily struck the post to the dismay of his teammates.
In the 64th minute, Vallmiky tried his luck from a distance but his shot was tipped out for a corner by keeper Melroy.
Sporting needing a win to strengthen their league position looked disjointed forcing their in-charge Mateus Costa to make all three substitutions to bolster the attack but the Panjim last line of defence was impenetrable as they held on to the valuable point.
Sporting almost snatched the winning goal in the 79th minute but keeper Sherwin had to use his legs to stop Victorino’s header from close range from entering the net after a cross by Akeraj Martins.
