MAPUSA: Sporting Clube de Goa had to wait until the tie-breaker before registering a hard fought 5-3 win over hot contenders Sesa Football Academy to win the GFA’s U-16 North Zone final, at Duler Stadium, Mapusa on Thursday.
Rohit Totad (57’) put the the Flaming Oranje ahead but Yuvraj Gaonkar (80’) scored the late equaliser for SESA FA. The game locked at 1-1 when the final whistle went off, headed into penalty shootouts.
Sporting skipper Aman Govekar lead from the front as he scored the first penalty for his side and then switching roles with his keeper to save a crucial 4th penalty from SESA which virtually sealed the game in favour of Oranje.
Alister Anthony, Richard Cardozo and Beeven Montero were the other players on target for Sporting while Omkar Shetgaonkar and Shridharnath Gawas netted for SESA.
Sporting enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the first half while SESA relied mostly on counter attack trying to catch the Sporting defence by surprise.
However SESA were the first to have a close look at Sporting goal as their tall defender Beckham Xavier leaped high into the air to head a good corner into the nets, some good reflexes from Beevan Montero at the goal line ensured Sporting didn’t have to do the catching up.
At the other end, it was Alister Anthony and Aman Govekar who combined well with Dattaraj Gaonkar in the midfield to break down the SESA defence limb by limb.
Dattaraj with his flawless passing bossed the midfield by a yardstick making things easy for the young Flaming Oranje up front.
In the 31st minute, Alister made a good run on the left to get a powerful shot on target but was saved by the SESA custodian, the rebound was then struck by Aman which was once again heroically kept out by the keeper.
SESA should have made it 1-0 when their midfielder Shridar Naidu came one-on-one against the charging Sporting keeper and chipped him, but the ball spun way too much and drifted off the net.
Sporting had their best opportunity in the 43rd minute when Aman dribbled past couple of rival defenders to get a clean strike but was once again denied by the keeper Alister Coelho. It stayed goalless at the end of first half.
Changing ends, both teams went full throttle trying to find the crucial goal.
Sporting drew the first blood just before the hour mark when an Alister Anthony shot was punched by the SESA keeper went straight to Rohit Totad who headed it in giving the Panjim side the goal they were hunting.
1-0 up, Sporting defence was fortified and SESA forwards found very little room to operate upfront, they heavily relied on set pieces to scramble something. One such move paid off when an Omkar Arondekar free-kick found Yuvraj Gaonkar at the right spot in the Sporting box, the latter headed it in bring parity in the score board.
With no winner at the final whistle, the match headed into penalties. Sporting lads displayed some fine character as they went ahead to win the match 4 – 2 on penalties lifting the North Goa Champions title. Sporting lads now face Salcete FC in the final of GFA’s U-16 Championship.
At Cansaulim ground, Salcete FC blanked Salgaocar FC 2-0.
Mark Carvalho opened the account for Salcete FC in the 42nd minute and completed his brace in the 78th minute.
