MAPUSA: Salgaocar Football Club were seen struggling before scoring a narrow 4-3 win over Tuff Laxmi Prasad Sports Club in the 18th round match of the Goa Pro League, at Duler Stadium, here, on Tuesday.
In the first leg meeting the teams were locked in a 2-2 draw.
In an evenly fought encounter both the teams fought tooth for tooth, where in the very early moments of the match Aslon Oliveira dangerously darted into the Tuff camp only to fire the ball wide while Dalesh Pednekar committed the same offence for the Tuff outfit, firing the ball wide from hand-shaking distance.
Tuff’s ever reliable striker Ndubuisi Opara gave his side the precious lead in the 13th minute of play when on collecting the ball from Francis Onyeamna, he sent in a powerful shot which had no answer from the rival keeper.
Salgaocar stepped up the attack in search of the equalizer and were rightly rewarded in the 25th minute when Rocus Lamare sent a pinpoint cross to Gilbert Oliveira who made no mistake to drill the ball home, 1-1.
The Green Brigade almost turned the match in their favour in the very next minute itself however Aslon failed to direct his reverse kick into the Tuff goal.
In the closing minutes of the first half Tuff were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the 18-yard box, Ndubuisi Opara’s strike which took a wicked deflection off the defender, was brilliantly kept away by Salgaocar keeper Bruno Colaco.
Changing over both the teams continued from where they left, going all out in an attacking mode, where this time it was Salgaocar who took the lead in the 49th minute through Gilbert Oliveira, who scored from the penalty spot, after Tuff keeper Mandar Parab dangerously brought down Alesh Sawant inside the danger zone.
The match took an ugly turn in the 65th minute as Tuff’s manager, Mohan Satoskar was sent off to the stands by the referee Prasad Surlekar, as he was found guilty of quarrelling with the fourth official over a foul committed by Salgaocar defender on Stanley D’Silva.
A minute later, Tuff managed to level terms after Francis Onyeamna pounced on a miss pass from Rocus Lamare and lobbed the ball over the advanced keeper into the Salgaocar goal.
Within a few minutes Tuff managed to break into the lead when Rosario Mendes in an attempt to clear away Agnelo Colaco’s strike, saw the ball enter his own nets, 3-2.
When it looked like Tuff were out to take away full three points U-20 Jason Barbosa turned the fate of the game in favour of Salgaocar firing in a brilliant brace in the 85th and 86th minute to ensure the green brigade a win.
