Team Herald
MAPUSA: Penha de Franca Sports Club scored a massive 4-0 win over Holy Cross SC Arambol in the GFA’s First Division League match played at Duler Stadium, on Wednesday.
At halftime Penha led by three goals. Penha now have 43 points from 20 matches and are in contention to qualify for the Professional League alongwith, Salgaocar Juniors who have 45 points from 20 matches and Panjim Footballers who have 41 points from 19 matches.
It was the winners who dominated the proceedings and came attacking first in the 11th minute when Leander D’Cunha curled in his corner-kick towards Sidharth Shirodkar whose header missed the target narrowly.
Minutes later, Penha were awarded a penalty kick after the referee Tejas Nagvekar found Arambol’s Jayesh Chopdekar guilty of handling Anil Gaonkar’s cross, inside the 18-yard box. Sanwil D’Costa stepped forward to take the kick and ensured his side a goal lead, 1-0.
Arambol had a glorious chance to restore parity when Jayesh Chopdekar made his way into the Penha defense and sent a perfect pass to Dalesh. However the striker was intelligently dispossessed by defender Sanwil at the expense of a corner.
After a couple of minutes of midfield action Josley Dias set the ball on platter to Anil Gaonkar whose blistering right footer was fisted away by Arambol keeper Amit Fernandes.
Penha came with two quick goals in a span of four minutes, first through Princeton Rebello who scored through a long range effort and then through Raju Padoshi who gave finishing touches to Leander D’Cunha’s freekick, 3-0.
Moments before the halftime whistle Penha went down by a man after their skipper Sanwil D’Costa was given marching orders by the referee for rough tackle on Arambol’s Dalesh Pednekar.
Within ten minutes on changing ends Penha scored their fourth goal when Princeton Rebello sent the ball towards Raju who fired the ball to the far corner of the Arambol nets, 4-0.
