MAPUSA: Salgaocar Football Club registered their straight fourth win as they humiliate Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim with an 8-3 win in the Goa Professional League match, organised by Goa Football Association, played at Duler Stadium, here, on Friday.
Salgaocar who had won their last match against Guardian Angel SC, made no changes to their side, whereas, Cavelossim coach Severino Fernandes brought in Moises D’Sa, Perryson Fernandes and Ralf Fernandes in the starting XI following their winless streak in the last seven matches.
The Nigerian striker had a chance to score the fastest goal of the on-going league when he was in a commanding position to take his side into the lead when the match was just 10 seconds young but the striker completely failed to keep his shot on target. Whereas, defender Assumption Soares also had a chance to put his side ahead in the 10th minute when he drilled a powerful strike from inside the box only to see his deflected shot easily collected by the Cavelossim keeper Razak Devsor.
After wasting few easy chances, Salgaocar finally surged ahead in the 17th minute through Gilbert Oliveira as the midfielder made a clinical finish from the close after getting a through pass from Mackroy Peixote.
A few minutes later, U-20 forward Devendra Murgaonkar doubled Salgaocar’s lead when his flick header off Gilbert well-taken corner finished in the net making it 2-0 for the Green Brigade. It was just a span of three minutes when Sunday registered his name on the score sheet with a smart header which hit the side post before entering the goal to make it 3-0. Sanson Pereira was the architect of the goal with a fine cross from the left.
The next ten minutes saw Salgaocar add two more goals to count as first, Sunday cut past Cavelossim defender Cayven Araujo in the box and calmly placed the ball in the net for his second and team’s fourth goal of the match. A minute later, Devendra scored his second of the evening when he made no mistake to place the ball home after getting a perfect through pass in the box from Mackroy.
At the other end, Cavelossim skipper Mathew Colaco reduced the margin for his side when he brilliantly cut past two defenders and shot past Salgaocar keeper S Rajini Kumar from close.
Salgaocar once again reinstated their five-goal lead in the 45th minute as this time Devendra completed his hat-trick when he made an easy tap-in from close off Gilbert’s square pass from inside the box.
Sunday also completed his hat-trick in the early minutes of the second half when he danced past two defenders and placed the ball home from the top of the box to make it 7-1 for the Greens.
A few minutes later, Sunday added another to his and club’s tally when Gilbert’s strike was paired by Cavelossim keeper Razak but he failed to clear the danger completely, taking advantage of the same Nigerian front man banged the ball into the empty goal.
Cavelossim scored two consolation goals in the dying minutes of the match through Samson Simoes as the striker made no mistake from close after getting the ball from skipper Mathew on both the occasions as the final score stood 8-3 for the Green Brigade.
