TEAM HERALD
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: Sesa Football Academy (Juniors) overcame Penha de Franca Sports Club by a solitary goal in a GFA Second Division football league match at Sangolda ground, Friday. The score was 1-0 at half time.
Flavio Lopes Sesa’s Stephen’s header hits the Penha de Franca crossbar in a GFA Second Division football league match at Sangolda ground, Friday. |
Sesa started with Olvin and Alexinho upfront while Vardhan and Francisco led the Franca attack.
The teams started brightly with Sesa’s Jaison building up a promising move in the fourth minute but his was fouled by Franca’s Shubham. The resultant free-kick by Sesa’s Glan was blocked by rival custodian Naved.
Francas’s first attack at the rival goal came in the seventh minute when Melwyn unleashed a powerful long ranger which was blocked by Sesa defender Raju.
In the 12th minute, referee Nilesh Vaigankar booked Sesa’s Jaison for his dangerous tackle on Franca’s Shawn. In the resultant free-kick, Shawn’s dangerous ball into the box was headed wide by Melwyn with only Sesa goalkeeper Fayaz at his mercy.
Sesa enjoyed the lion’s share of ball possession making good use of the width but could not convert as Olvin and Faizal shot wide.
Sesa’s best chance came in the 32nd minute when Alexinho sent a good through ball to Olvin inside the box but his venomous right-footer was blocked by the rival goalkeeper.
In the 40th minute, Sesa broke the deadlock, thanks to a self-goal by Shawn. Raju’s long ball to Olvin was headed by Shawn into his own net past goalkeeper Naved, who was out of his position.
Three minutes later, Sesa could have doubled their lead after Olvin made a good run inside the box but Franca’s Fraizer thwarted him with a timely tackle.
In the second session, Franca started on an attacking note in search of the equalizer but Raju shot wide in the 46th minute.
Two minutes later, Raju was cautioned by the referee for his challenge on Alexinho.
At the other end, Raju combined with Jaison, who set up Alexinho but the latter’s curling shot went inches wide.
Sesa could have inflated their lead in the 60th minute but Alexinho’s header off a Glan free-kick was cleared by Shawn on the goal line.
Sesa missed another chance after Alexinho sent in a dangerous cross which went flying past the Franca defenders to Jaison who could not head in from hand-shaking distance in the 65th minute.
Two minutes later, Alexinho crossed to substitute Stephen whose header hit the crossbar.
Franca tried hard to get back into the game but ran out of ideas upfront as their forwards could not get past the strong Sesa defence.
