MAPUSA: Sporting Clube de Goa registered a solitary goal victory over Salgaocar Football Club to climb to the top spot of the Goa Pro League after the 14th Round match, at Duler Stadium, here, on Saturday.
With today’s win, Sporting Clube have 29 points while Salgaocar FC stay on 19 points.
Their first leg encounter ended in a 1-1 draw at the same venue.
Both the teams having suffered a defeat in their respective last match against Calangute, started off brightly creating equal number of chances but failed to give finishing touches to the moves initiated by them.
Salgaocar FC badly felt the absence of their opportunist striker Martin Scott who had to watch the match from the stands due to suspension.
In the 10th minute, Rosario Mendes charged down the right flank and set up Aslon Oliviera right inside the danger zone but the last named failed to tap the ball into the open Sporting Clube goal.
In a repeat of events five minutes later, Jason Barboza sent a long floater to unmarked Aslon, who once again fumbled.
With two close shaves at the goal, Salgaocar FC tried their luck from the dead ball situation. Brian Mascarenhas sent a pinpoint free-kick from the edge of the box to Clifton Dias who in turn headed the ball towards Calvin Mbarga, only to see the Australian import head the ball over the Sporting Clube goal.
In a quick counter, Glan Martins made a run down the left flank and flashed a dangerous cross across the Salgaocar FC goal to Ganesh Thakur, who was a wee bit late in getting his head to the ball.
Minutes into the match, The Flaming Oranje’s star striker Odafa Okolie set the ball on platter to Ganesh Thakur but Salgaocar keeper Bruno Colaco rushed to the edge of the box to clear the ball to safety before any damage could be done.
At the other end Myron Borges did well to beat his marker Mathew Gonsalves, only to see his low grounder being collected by the diving Sporting keeper Kamaljit Singh.
Two minutes later Odafa made a made a powerful attempt at the rival goal but his right footer curled just past the top of the Salgaocar FC goal.
A minute before the halftime whistle, The Green Brigade once again made a vicious move at the rival goal but Myron Borges volley from the top of the box missed the target narrowly.
The only goal of the match that separated the two sides happened at the very brink of resumption of play, when Odafa Okolie on collecting a long ball from the center line sent a powerful shot from the edge of the box which crashed into the top corner of the Salgaocar FC goal.
Despite maintaining good ball possession Salgaocar FC failed to cause much of a threat to the Sporting Clube outfit who came up with several threatening moves at regular intervals.
In the 70th minute, Ganesh Thakur tried to lob the ball into the Salgaocar FC nets only to see the keeper come with a fine collection. While 10 minutes later, substitute Alber Gonsalves sent a long cross to Glan Martins whose effort from inside the danger zone sailed over the rival goal.
In the 83rd minute, Mauvin Borges playing a nice one two with Odafa, made his way into the Salgaocar citadel only to see his placing strike go wide.
