Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: Salgoacar Football Club were held by Sporting Clube De Goa to a 0-0 draw in the GFA’s professional league match, at Duler Stadium, here, on Sunday.
After the round three matches, Sporting has seven points and maintain the top spot while Salgaocar have four points.
Sporting who were looking for their third straight win were hampered by the absence of their skipper Marcus Mascarenhas who was injured in the last match against Dempo SC and the team lacked the killer instinct upfront to trouble the Salgaocar rearguard.
Salgaocar after their last match loss to Sesa FA were in total control of the proceedings however attempts from Devendra Murgaonkar and Steflon D’Costa did not cause much trouble to the Sporting keeper.
Salagaocar nearly found the opening goal in the 19th minute but quick thinking by keeper Melroy Fernandes who left his goal in the nick of time to deny Chaitan Komarpant in getting any touch to a dangerous ball put into the penalty box by Mackroy Peixoto.
Sporting who seemed a disjointed side orchestrated a first decent opening after 30 minutes from a neat build up play between Nigerian Philip Odogwu and Dattaraj Gaonkar but Salgaocar’s defender Sanson Pereira stuck to his task and disposed Dattaraj cleanly before any damage could be done.
Minutes later, Salgaocar’s Selwyn darted from the right side and whipped in a dangerous cross in the penalty box but before anyone could pounce onto it stopper back Clemente Joseph cleared it for safety.
Sporting’s Clemente Joseph who marshalled the defence well brought in a timely goal line clearance in the closing minutes of first half to stop Chaitan Komarpant’s clever dink over the advancing keeper Melroy from entering the net.
Changing ends, Salgaocar went all out in search of the winning goal but their attack fizzled out once inside the opponents zone who defended stoutly.
Clemente once again came to his sides rescue in the 82nd minute when he kept out a dangerous cross delivered into the box by Salgaocar’s Godfrey Mascarenhas before it could reach to any of his teammates.
Sporting nearly walked away with full three points when substitute Joston Cardozo’s fierce shot was well stopped by keeper Nora Fernandes and before Philip could get to the rebound defender Saurabh Patel pushed the ball away.
