Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: Salgaocar Football Club came from a goal down to hold Joint winners Sporting Clube de Goa to a 1-1 draw in the Goa Professional League played at Duler stadium, here, on Sunday.
Salgaocar FA came into the match with an impressive 4-0 win over Vasco SC while Sporting Clube de Goa who had won all their earlier League matches were held to a 1-1 by Sesa FA.
After Sunday’s drawn encounter, Salgaocar FA stay on top of the table with 17 points while Sporting Clube de Goa have 14 points.
Joint winners Sporting started brightly and forged ahead in the fifth minute from a well combined move initiated by Joel Colaco who dribbled past two players and set the ball to Philip Odogwu who in turn squared the ball to unmarked Marcus Mascarenhas who made no mistake in finding the back of the net to give his side the lead.
Green Brigade tried to come back into the match with some fine built up moves from the midfield but striker Steflon D’Costa who had scored a hat-trick in his last match was given very little space to operate.
However no one could stop the promising lad Steflon contribute towards the equaliser, who in the 29th minute collecting a pass from Ribhav Sardesai covered some ground and entered the penalty box but was tackled by Sporting keeper Alton Vaz, prompting referee Prasad Surlakar to point to the dreaded spot.
Saeesh Halarnkar stepped forward and scored, 1-1.
In the 41st minute, Steflon tried to squeeze past Sporting’s stopper backs Alton Vaz and Kunal Kundaikar but saw latter’s clearance hit Alton for corner.
Marcus should have doubled the lead in the stoppage time but saw his left footer from outside the penalty box miss the target narrowly.
On crossing ends, Salgaocar coach Levino Pereira tried to further strengthen his attack by replacing defender Stephen Alvares and bringing in striker Stephen Satarkar upfront.
This move from the coach would have paid dividends, but Stephen delayed in front of the goal to find defender Alton clear the ball.
Minutes later, Saeesh Halarnkar 25-yard strike zoomed just over the Sporting cross bar.
At the other end, a well executed free-kick from substitute Myron Fernandes saw a strong header from Alton Vaz travel just past the goal post.
The best chance for Sporting went in vain in the 65th minute with Salgaocar keeper Jason D’Mello bringing excellent back-to-back saves to first block Myron Fernandes’ strike and then off the rebound push Myron’s header for a corner.
The Green Brigade too had their chances but once again Stephen Satarkar saw his lob over the on rushing Sporting keeper Ozen Silva go just over the goal post and in the stoppage time his header off a cross from Fhezer Gomes being collected by keeper Ozen.
