Team Herald
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MAPUSA: Salgaocar Football Club registered a solitary goal win over Goan FC in the Goa Professional League match, organised by Goa Football Association and played at Duler Stadium, on Friday.
With this win, Salgaocar climbed to 7th position with 11 points from eight matches, while, Goans also have the same number of points from eight outings.
Salgaocar had edged out Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim in their last match, whereas Goan FC had registered two back-to-back victories against Corps of Signals and Panjim Footballers in the last two matches.
Regular keeper Iprotip Das was suspended due to the red card in the last match as a result Shubham Dhas replaced him in the Goan’s starting XI. Aaren D’Silva and Krishna Pandit were the other two changes for the junior Gaurs. On the other hand, the Green Brigade coach Norbert Gonsalves had made no changes to the winning combination from the last match.
Salgaocar started brightly and came up with numerous attacks on the rivals which started in the 7th minute, when U-20 Ribhav Sardessai jelled up well with Nigerian striker Joel Sunday, who in turn sent a pass to another U-20 striker Devendra Murgaonkar but his shot was nicely pushed for a corner by Goan keeper Shubham. Salgaocar managed to take the lead from the consequential Gilbert Oliveira’s corner when their midfielder Umesh Harijan made no mistake to slot the ball home to take his side into the 1-0 lead.
Two minutes later, the Junior Gaurs had a chance to equalise as Jason Barbosa almost set up Aaren D’Silva with just keeper to beat but Salgaocar defender Sourabh Patil headed the ball to safety at the cost of a corner.
A few minutes later, the Green Brigade came close twice to scoring, first, Gilbert saw his free-kick just past the goal-post for a goal-kick, while the Nigerian striker Sunday’s volley was nicely collected by rival keeper Shubham.
In the 25th minute, Salgaocar midfielder Mackroy Peixote tried his luck from 25 yards but the keeper Shubham came with an excellent save as he cleared the danger on time to limit the damage of his side.
The last few minutes of the session witnessed both the teams getting chances where first, the Nigerian strike force Sunday almost doubled Salgaocar’s lead when he beat the Gaurs keeper Shubham but his shot hit the far goal post. Whereas, Goan striker Aaren sent an excellent through pass to Krishna in the box but Salgaocar keeper S. Rajini Kumar came off his line to collect the same, however, he got injured in the process.
Salgaocar continued to dominate over the rivals even after crossing over and came up with two quick attacks but on both the occasions Sunday’s shots were blocked by keeper Shubham.
A few minutes later, Salgaocar had the best chance of the match to further inflate their lead when Sunday smartly beat the offside trap and moved dangerously in the box but could not convert the same from close.
At the other end, Goan should have equalised when Ivon Costa was left with the keeper to beat but keeper S. Rajini Kumar made no mistake to clear the danger. Whereas, Goan keeper Shubham also made an excellent save when he brilliantly fisted substitute Andrus John’s shot over the crossbar, at the cost of a corner.
Sunday was unlucky again in the 72nd minute when his left-footer kissed the crossbar and went out for a goal-kick. Whereas, Young Gaurs keeper was in action again when he excellently blocked a hot substitute Clencio Pinto fierce shot off Sunday short pass.
