BENAULIM: Salgaocar FC ended their group stage Goa Zonal round on a high note by defeating the favourites 2-1, at Benaulim ground, on Saturday.
Salgaocar finished second in the group ahead of their Goan counter parts Dempo SC and Sporting Clube de Goa.
Both the teams had their game plans set which were to go out for a win. AIFF came close when a fierce header went into the goal however much to the relief of the Salgaocar FC it was called for an offside.
Liston Colaco of Salgaocar FC missed a few chances as he saw his free kicks sail over the cross bar. Salgaocar FC got the breakthrough in added time of the first half, when they were awarded a corner kick.
Shayne Rodrigues floated the ball well in the air but the defenders failed to clear the ball, Flagan Rodrigues controlled the ball and perfectly shot at the top of the net making it 1-0 for the home side.
The second half saw Salgaocar FC dominate AIFF through the midfield as Kaushik Negi and Saeesh Halarnkar kept supplying the ball to Liston and Devendra Murgaokar.
It was in the 65th minute when Liston Colaco ran down the flank beating his marker and crossed the ball to Devendra Murgaokar who made no mistake in putting the ball at the back of the net making it 2-0.
Adil Ansari the goal keeper for Salgaocar FC came up with couple of saves wherein two of the saves were on one to one situation.
AIFF later managed to pull a goal back after the away side’s striker got a deflected ball who made no mistake in slotting the ball home in the 75th minute.
Both Salgaocar FC and AIFF qualify for the national round, Salgaocar FC being the only Goan side to represent the State.
