Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: Panjim Footballers Sports Club played their hearts out as they stunned table toppers Salgaocar FA by a solitary goal win in the Goa Professional League played at Duler stadium, here, on Saturday.
After Saturday’s encounter, Salgaocar FA stay on 17 points while Panjim Footballers go to 10 points.
Panjim Footballers gave in their best and dominated most part of the first session and had two close chances to score while the opponents did not have one decent attempt at the rival goal.
The Green Brigade were indeed lucky to escape from conceding a penalty in the18th minute, when U-20 Prathamesh Satardekar came up with a clumsy tackle on Panjim’s Krishna Gawas just inside the penalty box. However, referee Prasad Surlakar turned down the strong appeal from Panjim teammates and bench officials for a penalty, but instead awarded a direct free-kick.
Play then continued to be restricted to midfield where once again the Capital side almost broke the deadlock in the 45th minute. Krishna Gawas came with a cut back pass and intelligently laid the ball to Llyod Cardozo who drove a hot blooded shot at the goal which was brilliantly blocked by keeper Jason D’Mello.
Just forty seconds into the second session, the Green Brigade almost took the lead. A long ball at the goal by Ribhav Sardesai, saw Panjim’s keeper Preston Rego’s clearance hit Steflon D’Costa and the ball travelled to substitute Stephen Satarkar who to the dismay of his teammates blasted the ball wide.
At the other end, the first good move from Green Brigade should have materalised into a goal. Substitute Fhezer Gomes got hold of a through pass from Steflon and after covering some ground sent a placement at the goal which saw keeper Preston fling to his left and pair the ball for a corner.
Panjim’s Joyson Gauncar saw two of his shots at the goal being saved by keeper Jason from point blank range.
However, finally in the 81st minute the Capital side tasted success where a curling cross by substitute Cyril Dias was firmly headed by Joyson into the goal, 1-0 thus giving full points to his team.
