Saligao United squeeze past Pilerne
HERALD SPORTS DESK
PANJIM, JAN 16
Saligao United scored a narrow 1-0 win over neighbours Pilerne SC and earned a place in the last four of all-Goa Romeo memorial football tournament at Santa Cruz village school playground, on Sunday.
In an equally balanced contest, both the teams failed to find the rhythm going in the first half and clear cut chances were hard to come. The ball was largely confined to the midfield with both the teams intent in playing the waiting game.
However, the game came alive in the second half as Pilerne SC broke from the shackles and started making deep forays into the Saligao territory in search of a goal. Vigilant Saligao defence did not give the Pilerne forwards too much space in the danger area and thwarted every move. The Pilerne forwards too were guilty of shooting way off target whenever they had the opportunity to test the goalkeeper.
Having failed to take their opportunities, Pilerne were then made to pay as a counter move by Saligao caught the Pilerne defence unawares. In a move that started from the centre, Abhijit Govenkar ran solo into the Pilerne territory and then beautifully passed to an unmarked Marthino Fernandes who wasted no time in unleashing a booming shot into the goal past a hapless Pilerne goalie to give Saligao a 1-0 win with only a couple of minutes remaining.
Referee Joao Pereira gave the marching orders to Sapnil Betadkar in the dying minutes of the match after he received his second yellow card. Yellow cards were also flashed to Agusto Monteiro of Pilerne SC and Tyson Fernandes and James Soares of Saligao United.
