Team Herald
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PANJIM/MAPUSA: Sporting Clube de Goa clinched the Goa Professional League title after playing out a goalless draw against rivals Dempo Sports Club in at the Ella ground, Old Goa, on Friday.
The result saw Sporting Clube finish top of the table with 46 points from 20 matches, edging past Dempo SC, who settled for second place with 45 points.
Sporting Clube displayed attacking intent early on, pressing high and carving out openings. Leran Dias came close to setting up the opener midway through the first half with a dangerous cross from the right, but it flashed across the face of goal with no takers.
Dempo SC grew into the game with strong midfield control and threatening wing play, especially through Salgeo Dias on the left. However, the encounter turned fiery after a heated altercation between Sporting Clube’s Naocha and Dempo SC’s Laximanrao Rane, which resulted in straight red cards for both players and reduced the sides to ten men.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, both teams continued to push.
Sporting Clube coach Armando Colaco introduced Selwyn Miranda and Vikram Venkatachalam to inject fresh energy, while Dempo SC coach Remus Gomes responded with Asmon Viegas in midfield.
Dempo SC pressed hard for a winner, with Nestor Dias and Arnold Oliveira combining well in attack, but were repeatedly denied by Sporting Clube goalkeeper Siddharth Rana, who also earned a yellow card for time-wasting.
The best chance of the match fell to Shreyash Naik in the dying minutes, after Salgeo Dias headed a cross into his path, but the finish flew wide with the goal at his mercy. The 0-0 result was enough for Sporting Clube to seal the Goa Professional League title.
Clube de Salgaocar down Geno FC 2-0 in the Goa Professional Super League match played at Duler Stadium, Mapusa, on Friday.
With Friday’s win, Clube de Salgaocar have 41 points and finished at third position of GPL table to secure place in the Third Division I-League next season.
Geno FC did have better of the ball exchanges and attempts at the rival goals in the first session.
In the 10th minute, Abelson Jachi strike from close was brilliantly blocked for a corner by Clube de Salgaocar’s U-21 Reezvon Fernandes. Five minutes later, a weak shot by Franky Oliveiro was saved by Clube de Salgaocar’s goalkeeper Sanij Bugde. Another glorious chance went a begging for Geno FC when Abelson Jachi snatched the ball from stopper back Reezvon to sent a cut back pass to Franky Oliveiro but the latter saw his placement miss the target narrowly.
Clube de Salgaocar's Denil Rebello latched a curling strike from outside the penalty box only to see Geno FC’s goalkeeper Savio Pereira pair the ball for a corner.
Just four minutes into the second session, once again Geno FC’s Chaitan Komarpant strike from close was blocked by Clube de Salgaocar’s Brian Faria for a corner. In the 68th minute, Clube de Salgaocar’s Boinao Singh sent a curling ball inside the 6-yard box where after a scramble by Geno FC’s defenders and Saiesh Halarnkar saw the latter stab the ball into the goal, 1-0.
Pepped up by the goal, Clube de Salgaocar’s doubled their lead in the 79th minute with Isac Zomuanpuia scoring from the penalty spot after he was brought down by Geno FC’s goalkeeper Savio Pereira inside the 18-yard box 2-0.
In the last 10 minutes of the match, deadly crosses by Clube de Salgaocar’s substitute Royal Oliveira saw Boinao Singh miss to connect his header into the unguarded goal.