BENAULIM: Varca Sports Club down Cuncolim Union 6-5 via the tie breaker to enter the final of the 12th Bebe Costa Memorial inter-village football tournament organized by United Club of Benaulim, at St John the Baptist ground, Dando-Benaulim, on Tuesday.
In a trilling and exciting encounter which kept the crowd on the edge the winners struck right at the death through Joylon Cardozo but Cuncolim Union conjured up a magic to find the equalizer through the boots of Frazer Fernandes, virtually through the last kick of the match.
Moments within the start both the teams went close in to open their accounts.
Varca SC striker Macklin Mascarenhas put through by the impressive young midfielder Quelon Fernandes delayed in taking the shot from inside the box allowing Cuncolim Union defender Raguveer Gaunkar to put a neat challenge and send the ball for a corner.
At the other end Cuncolim Union’s Mitun Carvalho ran through after receiving a Clifton Fernandes pass but he also delayed to take the strike and Varca SC goalkeeper Carmo Rebello sensing the opportunity charged out and collected the ball.
The second session was brought to life early by Cuncolim Union’s striker Frazer Fernandes who made a solo run leaving the Varca SC defenders behind but after entering the area he provided a tame effort which was easily collected by rival keeper Carmo.
Varca SC without their prolific striker Jonas Costa, the attacking spark was missing upfront.
In the last quarter both the teams played cautiously with the ball mostly confided to the midfield but three minutes before the close Varca SC’s talented winger Joylon Cardozo collected a stray ball about twenty yards out and the youngsters had the confidence to unleash a fierce right footer which struck the upright and went into the nylons keeping the Cuncolim Union’s goalkeeper Shaikh Faizal routed to the ground.
Varca SC players celebrated after they thought they had done enough but Cuncolim Union did not lose hope as substitute winger Bharat Gaunkar moved on the right and squared the ball into the box where striker Frazer Fernandes dashed in and slammed in a right footer past the bewildred Varca SC keeper Carmo to get a stunning equalizer.
In the following tiebreaker Quelon Alemao, Velroy Rodrigues, Joylon Cardozo, Elvis fernandes and Columban Noronha were all successful for Varca and for Cuncolim the scorer were Mayron Fernandes Frazer Fernandes, Mitun Carvalho and Bharat Gaunkar.
The man-of-the-match was given to Frazer Fernandes of Cuncolim Union.
