Team Herald
MAPUSA: Panjim Footballers SC downed Velsao SCC 3-1 in a GFA Relegation League match at Duler stadium here, Tuesday.
Panjim Footballers as well as Velsao have a tally of 11 points each.
Panjim Footballers started with a bang. In the very 30th second, Doyal Alves let go a powerful left footer from just outside the 6-yard box, but it missed the target by inches. They managed to break the deadlock in the 16th minute as a 30-yard rasping strike from Britto Pereira crashed into the net.
Britto would have scored again but he was a bit late in connecting a through pass from Maresto Fernandes right in front of the goal.
Panjim Footballers doubled their lead in the 20th minute. A Clifton Rebello try was blocked by a rival defender. The ball fell in the path of Under-20 Jonas Colaco who dispatched it home beating Velsao’s goalkeeper Rahul KK hands down.
Velsao regrouped and Meuton Fernandes’ strike was blocked by goalkeeper Preston Rego.
Two minutes before the breather, Velsao managed to reduce the margin. K. Vinoth collected a pass from Wangkhem Singh, darted inside the penalty box and beat the onrushing goalkeeper Preston with a neat placement.
In the added time, Velsao could have levelled terms but Preston brought off a brilliant save off Meuton.
On crossing over, Velsao missed a number of scoring chances. Wangkhem missed a sitter after Meuton had done the spadework. Subsequently, Preston effected two smart saves off Sheldon Pereira and K Vinoth.
Panjim Footballers celebrated the escapes with Doyal Alves scoring off a pass from Cliffton Rebello.
Play was halted for about five minutes after the 78th minute as referee Jan Rodrigues gave the marching orders to Velsao’s Chadel Fernandes for allegedly using abusive language, at the instance of assistant referee Siddharth Pawar. Actually, the referee erred in identifying the player who had actually abused the official.
In the closing stages, Velsao’s defender Sunny Kumar brought off an excellent clearance just before Panjim’s Jonas Colaco could shoot goalwards.
Panjim Footballers’ Doyal Alves was given the man-of-the match award by Babli Mandrekar.
