TEAM HERALD
MAPUSA: Sporting Clube de Goa were held to a 1-1 draw by Salgaocar Football Club in an Airtel Goa Super League match at Duler Stadium, here, Tuesday.
Sporting Clube led 1-0 at half time.
Jovel Martins had given Sporting Clube the lead in the 21st minute but Salgaocar’s French striker Claude Gnakpa equalized in the 75th minute to salvage a point.
Sporting Clube remained at top of the standings with 26 points while Salgaocar have 19 points and are in the fourth spot.
Sporting Clube were in total control and kept their opponents at bay. Rowllin Borges came close to scoring in the very second minute but his side-footed effort went inches wide. Coach Oscar Bruzon fielded Boima Karpeh and the Australian had two clear chances to score but lacked finishing with only Salgaocar custodian Felix D’Souza at his mercy.
At the other end, Salgaocar were struggling to hold the ball in the midfield as Jeevan Nalge lost possession which allowed The Flaming Oranje to capitalize.
Sporting Clube’s Jovel Martins took advantage of the given opportunity and beautifully finished past Felix in the 21st minute.
Salgaocar defender Rahul Kumar was injured in that process and had to be replaced with Gilbert Oliveira. Coach Derrick Pereira also brought in Clifton Dias which added stability in the midfield as under-20 Rayman Fernandes came off.
Derrick was a frustrated man and he remained so until the 75th minute when Claude came up with the equalizer.
Salgaocar were a subdued lot and hardly tested Sporting Clube keeper Ravi Kumar. Their only effort came in the form of an off-target shot by Aslon Oliveira at the half hour mark.
Salgaocar started the second session in a renewed sense of purpose but could not create any openings. However, The Green Brigade relied on a Gilbert Oliveira set piece which initially kissed the crossbar and made its way to Claude, who nodded in from close range to make it 1-1.
With three minutes to go for the final whistle Salgaocar could have snatched three points when skipper Milagres Gonsalves sent in a dangerous long ball to Claude, who headed in the path of Clifton but the latter’s close ranger was thwarted by goalkeeper Ravi.
Sporting Clube’s Jovel and Pratesh Shirodkar were adjudged goal of the day and man-of-the-match respectively and received their awards from Fr Domnic Savio Fernandes, principal of Pope John XIII HS, Quepem.
