MAPUSA: Holders Sporting Clube de Goa sealed their place in the final of the 16th Edition Goa Police Cup with a 2-0 win over I-League Churchill Brothers Sports Club, at Duler stadium here on Tuesday.
Both the goals came in the first session of play for the Flaming Orange through Philip Odogwu and Marcus Mascarenhas.
Sporting handicapped with most of their players on duty for Santosh Trophy saw their local talent put up a brave display against their I-League opponents and took the lead in the very seventh minute.
Marcus Mascarenhas after getting hold off a pass from the centre circle busted down the right flank and send in an inch perfect cross to Philip Odogwu who showed good body strength to keep out defender Amal Das and head the ball into the goal.
Churchill Bros squandered sitter to level terms five minutes later when Israil Gurung could not sort out his feet in giving finishing touches from a long ball floated into his path by Ganesh Thakur right inside the penalty box.
Keeper Kunzang Bhutia somehow managed to keep out Sporting’s George D’Souza cracking 25-yard strike from rattling into the net.
The Red Machines had another chance to get back on level terms in the 23rd minute but Israil Gurung’s free-kick was off target after Joaquin Barbero was brought down by Brandon Gomes just outside the penalty box.
Sporting consolidated their lead in the 36th minute through a wonderful team goal when Sachidanand Satelkar passed the ball to Cajetan Fernandes who cleverly dinked the ball to well positioned Marcus Mascarenhas who slammed the ball past keeper Kunzang Bhutia to make it 2-0.
Changing ends, Churchill coach Edward in search of the equaliser made two positive changes upfront but the absence of their star foreign striker Wills Plaza who was red carded in the last match was clearly felt as they hardly carried any threat once inside the danger box.
Sporting almost wrapped up the match in the 51st minute when Marcus Mascarenhas beat the advancing Churchill keeper Kunzang Bhutia with a delicate header but as the ball was rolling into the goal Philip Odogwu who was in an off-side position tried to make sure it entered the net by tapping it further only to be over ruled by referee Prasad Surlekar.
Churchill managed to reduce the margin in the 80th minute through Schubert Pereira but referee Prasad rightly pulled the Spaniard Joaquin for an off-side.
Meanwhile in the second semi-final held at Ella ground , FC Goa Developmental team blanked Dempo SC 2-0.
Vincy Barretto and Lalnuntlunga bagged the goals for the Young Gaurs.
