MAPUSA: Sporting Clube de Goa scored an emphatic 2-0 win over group favourites ARA FC at Jagran Lake City University ground, Bhopal, on Wednesday.
Sporting Clube surged ahead in the 40th minute of play through Rohan Rodrigues who shot home a thunderous grounder from the left. Lloyd Cardozo sealed the win for Sporting Clube in the 56th minute of play when he shot home off a Samuel Costa pass beating the rival keeper to make it 2-0.
Sporting Clube Competitions Director and Manager Angelo Albuquerque said, “It was nice to be back at the National stage after a gap of seven years. The team played exceptionally well throughout their campaign with the defence marshalled by Joyner Lourenco rock-solid having maintained a clean sheet throughout the tournament with Bhaskar Jalmi in goal. We hope to qualify for the next round and very soon hope to be in the Elite League soon.”
In another match, Lake City Football Club beat New Friends Club, Dantewada 7-2.
Sporting Clube de Goa finished their campaign atop with 10 points from four matches with three wins and a draw. Lake City Football Club are placed second with 7 points from three matches with two wins and a draw.
International Football Club and ARA FC have three points from three matches with one win and two losses while New Friends Club, Dantewada are rooted at the bottom of the table with no points from three matches.
Sporting Clube anxiously await the result of the match between Lake City Football Club and ARA FC wherein Lake City Football Club will need to beat ARA FC by a 7-goal margin to qualify from the group at the expense of Sporting Clube de Goa.
