MARGAO, JAN 20
Salcete Football Club defeated Margao Sports Club 2-1 to register their maiden win in GFA’s First Division League at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda on Thursday. Salcete were leading 1-0 at the breather.
Salcete enjoyed the lion share of exchanges in the opening session with the midfielders and forwards working in tandem to put the rival defence under pressure.
Salcete asserted the midfield supremacy right from the start with former Salgaocar midfielders Francis Andrade playing a stellar role for his team as he kept his forwards busy with fluent passes.
At the other end, Margao were subdued as their shoddy passing and uncordinated play hampered their build as they seldom troubled the rival defence with orchestrated moves.
Despite enjoying ball possession and exchanges, Salcete had to wait for the 35th minute to open their account. Midfielder Valente Silva dribbled past Margao’s defender Francis Fernandes and Rony Monteiro made no mistake in beating the Margao keeper with a snap shot.
Stung by the setback, Margao tried their best and had a couple of scoring chances but striker Samson Fernandes spurned easy scoring chances.
Salcete also had scoring chances but their forwards stumbled at the rival goal.
Crossing over, Salcete continued to enjoy possession in the same vein and showed urgency in their approach with strikers Joshua Vaz and Valente Silva breaching the rival defence. They came close to inflating their tally but either they shot wide or straight into the safe hands of the rival keeper.
Salcete doubled the lead in the 55th minute when Valente Silva’s rasping shot slipped from the hands of Margao’s keeper and striker Joshua Vaz made no mistake in pouncing the rebound.
Stung by double blows, Margao regrouped quickly and instantly took the fights to the rival camp and scored the consolation goal in the 85th when Soccoro Colcao sent a through pass inside the box and striker Romeo Fernandes beat the Salcete goalkeeper Presley Mascarenhas.
