MAPUSA: Panjim Footballers put up a brave performance to get the better of Guardian Angel Sports Club 3-2 in the GFA’s Professional League played at Duler Stadium, here on Friday.
The Panjim colts started off on an attacking note where in the 3rd minute Krishna Gawas charged into the Guardian Angel’s danger zone only to be thwarted by alert keeper Pratheesh Veettil.
At the other the Curchorem team took the lead when Beneston Barretto set the ball on platter to Yakubu who after dancing his way past the Panjim defenders fired the ball into the goal, 1-0.
Panjim Footballers, the Sporting Clube de Goa developmental side, almost levelled, however, Lloyd Cardozo’s shot from inside the 18-yard box grazed the Angel’s defender and went out of play.
Guardian Angel further inflated their lead in the 30th minute when Ghanian Bamba Musah Moctar sent a defence splitting pass to Yakubu who made no mistake to score his brace.
Moments before the half time whistle Guardian Angel came teasingly close to getting in their third goal however Panjim keeper Preston Rego came with a brilliant save to deny Beneston Barretto from scoring.
Panjim took on the second session with renewed ideas and initiated a series of raids.
Lloyd Cardozo saw his effort being blocked by Angel’s keeper Pratheesh and then Clifton Fernandes shot missed the target by a whisker. Clifton was once again unlucky in front of the goal when he failed to direct his header from close range into the rival goal.
Their efforts finally paid off in the 50th minute when keeper Pratheesh while clearing away Mahesh Kumar’s goal bound effort pushed the ball in the path of Chandan Gawas who guided the ball home, 2-1.
After a series of missed chances Joyson Gauncar found the equaliser for Panjim after he gave finishing touch to Lloyd’s effort, 2-2.
After surrendering their two goal advantage the Guardian Angel SC received a further set back when their keeper, Pratheesh was given marching orders for handling the ball outside the 18-yard box.
The Panjim colts sealed the match in their favour in the 77th minute when Vallmiky’s powerful strike was kept away by substitute keeper Jeet Gupta only to see the ball roll to Chandan Gawas who slammed the ball home, 3-2.
