BAMBOLIM: Goa Pro League champions Sporting Clube de Goa defeated Churchill Brothers Sports Club 3-1 to be clinch the Goa Police Cup in the final played at Athletic Stadium, Bambolim, on Friday.
Quan Gomes, Cajetan Fernandes and Ganesh Thakur scored for Flaming Orange while substitute James Fernandes netted the consolation goal for the Red Machines.
Sporting started the match on an attacking note and came close to scoring as Quan Gomes cut past a defender and found Nigerian striker Philip Odogwu in the commanding position inside the box but Churchill defender Jovel cleared the danger on time.
Churchill replied with a swift attack as Nigerian striker Francis Oneyama curled the ball in the box but Uttam Rai failed to connect from close.
Sporting’s keeper Melroy Fernandes came with a double save as he first blocked Israil Gurung’s powerful shot from inside the box, where the ball again rolled to the Churchill’s right-back but Melroy once again denied him with a diving effort, just before the end of the first half.
Crossing over, Churchill were the first to look at the goal when Uttam danced past three defenders in the box but keeper Melroy came off his line to block the striker.
On the counter, Sporting’s striker Marcus was in the commanding position to break the deadlock but his weak shot was easily collected by Churchill keeper James Kithan.
In the 62nd minute, Sporting were successful to break the deadlock when substitute Ganesh Thakur made a short pass to Quan in the box who clinically finished the ball at the far-post to take his side into the lead.
Ten minutes later, Sporting doubled their lead through Cajetan Fernandes as Marcus fed the midfielder with a perfect header where Cajetan made no mistake to head the ball home from close.
Alesh Sawant was the architect of the goal with a fine free-kick from the distance.
Energized by two quick goals, Sporting added another to their tally in the 77th minutes as Marcus found Ganesh with a perfect cross from the left, the latter brilliantly shot past Churchill’s keeper Kithan from inside the box to make it 3-0 for the Flaming Orange.
Churchill pulled one back in the closing stage of the match as Nicholas Fernandes’ low cross was easily tapped in by James Fernandes to make it 3-1 in the 89th minute.
