MAPUSA: Salgaocar Football Club put up a stiff challenge to hold Churchill Brothers Sports Club to a 2-2 draw in the GFA’s Pro League match, at Duler Stadium, Mapusa on Monday.
Salgaocar now have 11 points from five matches while Churchill earned their first point after three matches.
As a result of heavy downpour of rain, both the sides adopted midfield tactics for major duration of the first session.
Salgaocar, who currently are at top of the league table failed to display their usual valour in the game which allowed Churchill to have the first strike, when in the 20th minute Nicholas Fernandes ran down the left flank and sent a dangerous cross across the face of the Salgaocar goal, only to see Nash Pereira fail to guide ball home.
Seven minutes later Churchill shot into the lead when Nicholas Fernandes set up unmarked Sagar Limbo inside the 18-yard box, who made no mistake to blast the ball into the Salgaocar nylons, 1-0.
The goal seemed to serve as an awakening call to the Green Brigade, who finally regrouped themselves and within two minutes restored parity through Umesh Harijan who scored off Liston Colaco’s corner, 1-1.
Towards the fag end of the first session, Salgaocar should have shot ahead when Brian Mascarenhas’s free-kick was too hot for Churchill keeper Aliston Fernandes to handle and the ball rolled towards Aslon Oliviera, but before the latter could shoot defender Biju Kumar in an attempt to clear away the ball sent it towards Liston Colaco, who to the dismay of his teammates struck the side post.
Salgaocar were once again denied from scoring by the Churchill woodwork, when in the early moments of the second session Naro Hari Shrestha set up Liston Colaco whose powerful strike banged the horizontal bar.
After some midfield action, Churchill managed to take the lead, when in the 78th minute Nicholas Fernandes sent a pinpoint cross to Nash Pereira who slammed the ball into the nets, 2-1.
While Churchill Brothers were almost on the verge of celebrating their first victory, Salgaocar spoilt their party with a dramatic equaliser in the 90th minute, when substitute Naro Hari Shrestha unleashed a blistering shot from the edge of the 18-yard box which gave no chance to the diving keeper, 2-2.
