DULER: Salgaocar Football Club defeated Football Club Bardez 2-0, in the GFA’s Goa Pro League match, at Duler Stadium, Mapusa, on Wednesday.
Despite the score line, fresh from their Police Cup victory, FC Bardez gave the league giants, Salgaocar, a run for their money.
The Green Brigade scored once in each half with Balwinder Singh breaking the deadlock in the 32nd minute of play while U-20 Liston Colaco made it 2-0 in the 81st minute of play.
FC Bardez came teasingly close to scoring in the 28th minute of play when Salgaocar FC’s Gilbert Oliviera, in an attempt to clear away Myron Mendes’ strike at the goal saw the ball bang his own woodwork.
Salgaocar managed to take the lead in the 32nd minute of play when Gilbert Oliveira set up Mackroy Peixoto from a corner kick who in turn sent the ball across the goal area to Balwinder Singh who wasted no time in firing the ball home to make it 1-0.
Couple of minutes into the match, Nicolau Colaco saw his well executed 25-yard free kick miss the FC Bardez goal by a whisker.
Changing ends, FC Bardez took the field with more vigour, focus and determination to turn around the match in their favour, however the much needed goal eluded them till the final whistle.
In the 53rd minute of play Chatur Naik saw his header off Jessel Carneiro’s cross bang the Salgaocar FC horizontal bar while minutes later the Green Brigade custodian Bruno Colaco came with a brilliant save to pair away Alesh Sawant’s right footed strike.
In the 73rd minute, Richard Costa sent a pinpoint cross to Myron Mendes whose header from inside the danger zone sailed inches over the Salgaocar FC goal.
At the other end, Salgaocar who hardly created much moves in the second session of play, netted in their 2nd goal of the match in the 81st minute of play when Liston Colaco was at the right place to slot in Rosario’s cross.
In the 88th minute of play FC Bardez almost reduced the margin however Salgaocar keeper Bruno managed to get his hands to Jessel Carneiro’s curling corner.
