DULER: Vasco Sports Club collected full points after getting the better of Churchill Brothers Sports Club by 3-1 in the GFA’s Pro League match played at Duler Stadium, Mapusa, on Saturday.
Vasco have now collected nine points off five matches while Churchill Bros. remain with just a single point from five matches.
At halftime, the Ports men led by a 2-0 margin.
The winners did not waste any time and got into the scoring act as soon as the 2nd minute of play when Churchill defender Biju Kumar brought on a harsh tackle on Vasco’s Okorogr Praise, just on the edge of the 18-yard box prompting the referee to award a direct freekick. Okorogr Praise himself took on the responsibility of the kick made no mistake to curl the ball into the Churchill goal, 1-0.
Hardly had the Red Machine recovered from the early deficit, Vasco doubled the lead just five minutes later when Abhul B sent a perfect pass to Franck Kouass who unleashed a blistering shot which crashed into the Churchill nets after grazing the hands of the keeper, 2-0.
Thereon the Varca based side made some desperate efforts to crawl back into the match, however first Pankaj Sona’s shot off Velton D’Souza’s cross was save by Vasco keeper Shilton Fernandes and then Delbert Fernandes found himself a wee bit late to connect home Nicholas Fernandes cross.
On resumption of play, the introduction of the effervescent Chesterpaul Lynhdoh and Sandeep Shubba into the team brightened up the spirits in the Churchill camp who thereon kept their rivals in their own backyard.
In the 60th minute Churchill managed to pull back a goal when Nicholas after making his way past a couple of Vasco players set up Pankaj Sona who coolly flicked the ball over the advanced keeper, 1-2.
Buoyed by the goal, Churchill stepped up the tempo of the match, however Pankaj and Nicholas Fernandes failed to score time and again, to the frustration of their teammates and supporters.
In the 88th minute of play defender Biju Kumar tried his luck at scoring, however his header banged the Vasco woodwork.
However as luck would have it, It was the Vasco outfit who found the back of the nets through a long range effort by Abhil B. in the add on time to make it 3-1.
