MAPUSA: Corps of Signal scored a hard fought 3-2 win over Vasco Sports Club in the sixth-round match of the GFA’s Professional league, at Duler stadium, here, on Monday.
It was a much-needed win for the Army men who were languishing at the bottom of the table as they now have four points from five matches while Vasco also have the same number of points but have played an extra match.
In a keenly contested encounter, Vishnu Chetri (Signals) and Suraj Mondal (Vasco) got two goals each for their respective teams in the second session after Nim Bhutia had opened the scoring for Signals in the first half.
Both the teams were up and running from the kick-off and created decent openings but it was only in the 20th minute when Signals took the lead through Nim Bhutia whose firm header off a cross delivered into the box by Lairellakpam Singh had no answer by the Vasco keeper to give his side the lead.
Signals almost doubled their lead around the 43rd minute but Vasco keeper Sanju Thapa got out quickly from his goal to collect a cross delivered by Nim Bhutia before anyone could get to the end of it.
Vasco were missing the service of their Ivorian striker Lag Bei upfront but Suraj Mondol did not let his absence felt as he fired two quick headed goals on the resumption of second half to stun Signals who were a dominant side in the first half. The crosses for both the goals came from Micky Vaz and skipper Anil Gaonkar.
Buoyed by the success, the Port side continued pressing and went close in the 60th minute but Sheldon Pereira could not keep his header goalwards from a cross delivered by Suraj Mondal.
It was a clever substitution by Signal’s coach Eban who introduced Vishnu Chhetri and Pawan Thakur and suddenly there a spring in their attack.
A timely goal-line clearance in the 65th minute by Vasco defender Amit Das from Pawan Thakur’s header denied Signal in finding the equaliser.
It was back-to-back action wherein in the 72nd minute Vasco should have wrapped up the match when Sheldon dispossessed Romanse MS and laid the ball to a well-positioned Suraj Mondal whose shot hit with a lot of venom was brilliantly stopped by Signals keeper Binu Purushothaman.
Signals got a life-line in the 76th minute when they were awarded a penalty which was calmly converted by Vishnu Chettri after Vasco’s Raju Padashi had brought down stopper back Michael Silva inside the penalty box to make it 2-2.
And there was still time for Signals to net the winning goal which came in the 79th minute once again from Vishnu Chhetri who after outfoxing a couple of defenders, hoodwinked keeper Sanju Thapa and slammed the ball into the unguarded goal 3-2 to the delight of the dugout and the whole team.
