MAPUSA: Sporting Clube de Goa registered a comfortable 4-1 win over Guardian Angel Sports Club, Savordem in the 17th round match of the Goa Pro League, at Duler Stadium, here, on Monday.
With today’s win Sporting Clube stand with 36 points and have sealed their space as title contenders with just one match to go against Vasco SC. Chasing them vociferously are Churchill Brothers SC, who are currently on 30 points but still have two matches to go.
In their previous leg encounter Sporting Clube had registered a 3-1 win over the Savordem side.
The match got off to an exciting start with Guardian Angel having the first crack at the goal when in the 13th minute Estevan Mendes saw his pinpoint free-kick being pushed away by the diving Sporting Clube keeper Kamaljit Singh.
Sporting Clube did not take long and opened the floodgates in the 20th minute when Mauvin Borges on collecting the ball from Akeraj Martins, covered a few yards and set the ball on platter to Odafa Okolie who made no mistake in giving his side the lead.
Finding themselves a goal down, the Sanvordem side came out in full force to level terms but the last touch which converted a good move into a goal was sadly missing in them.
Estevan Mendes sent in a vicious cross across the face of the Sporting Clube goal, where Kamaljit came with a timely block before overlapping Nigerian Djourou Isaac Ouedji could reach to the ball.
A minute later, Kamaljit was once again at his best to come with a brilliant save to keep Stephen Colaco’s rasping strike away.
While the Sanvordem side attacked it was Sporting Clube who did the scoring where in the 40th minute Alber Gonsalves saw his long range effort rebound off the crosspiece and roll to James Fernandes who fired the ball to the far end of the rival goal and made it 2-0.
On resumption of play Sporting Clube once again got into the scoring act through their ever reliable Nigerian striker Odafa, who on weaving his way past the defense unleashed a powerful ground which entered the Sanvordem goal.
The never say die spirit from Guardian Angel SC saw them pile on the pressure on The Oranjes, where Estevan Mendes saw his curling cross being pushed away by keeper Kamaljit while Stephen Colaco’s effort banged the rival goal post.
After much probing the Sanvordem side finally managed to find the back of the nets through Estevan Mendes whose strike from the edge of the 18-yard box had no answer from the rival keeper Kamaljit, 3-1.
Sporting Clube came with one more goal, this time through Marcus Mascarenhas, who leapt high to nod home Harpreet Singh’s cross.
