TEAM HERALD
sports@herald-goa.com
CALANGUTE: Penha de Franca Sports Club edged out Saligao Sporting Club 4-3 via tie-breaker in the final to emerge champions in Aasiana Lakhanpal Gold Cup All-Goa inter-village football tournament organized by Candolim Sports Club, at Dr Gustavo Monteiro ground, Candolim, Saturday.
Penha de Franca started off on a promising note and could have taken the lead in the sixth minute but Mahabaleshwar’s effort sailed inches over the crossbar while another shot was saved by the rival keeper.
Changing over, Saligao regrouped and created a couple of opportunities but their forwards failed to find the net. Penha de Franca keeper Naved Almeida affected a couple of brilliant saves stretching himself to rightly earn the Best Goalkeeper award.
In the penalty shoot-out, Amar Kinelkar, Milind Shinde, Dilip Rodrigues and Melvin Rodrigues scored for Penha de Franca while Niazi Shaikh, Jhonny Menezes and Vesvino Miranda converted for Saligao Sporting.
Fr Peter Simon Mascarenhas, assistant parish priest of Our Lady of Hope church, Candolim was the chief guest and gave away the trophies to winners in presence of Candolim sarpanch Sandra Fialho, members Stella Mascarenhas, Amaline Dias, Karan Shaikh, manager of Aasiana Lakhanpal; Uday Lingudkar, GFA executive member and other dignitaries.
Individual prizes were awarded to First goal of the final Niazi Shaikh (Saligao SC), Best Goalkeeper Navid Almeida (Penha de Franca SC), Best Midfielder Vesvimno Miranda (Saligao SC), Best Forward Ajay Diwadkar (Saligao SC), Best Defender Devendra Kankonkar (Penha de Franca SC).
Earlier, the chief guest and other dignitaries were introduced to the players and match officials by Lawry Fernandes, president of Candolim SC alongwith Stanley Fernandes, secretary; Patrick Gonsalves. Bruno De Souza, assistant secretary compered.
Ramkrishna Kerkar proposed the vote of thanks.
