MAPUSA: Vasco Sports Club registered a solitary goal win over Football Club de Bardez in the GFA’s U20 TACA GOA League One match played at Duler stadium, here on Tuesday.
Both the coaches fielded a number of U20 players who were signed by their senior team for the Goa Professional League.
Vasco coach Eban Mesquita fielded GPL U-20 players Lenny Fernandes, Flan Gomes, Shubert Pereira and keeper Kartik Dessai, whereas Bardez Coach Climax Lawrence also added keeper Swizel Pereira, Gaurav Vaigankar, Joliston Rebello, Danston Fernandes and Dialon Gama to their starting XI.
The Port Towners were the dominant side in the entire match with better possession over the ball and also in the attacking index. The all-important goal of the match was scored by Vasco striker Klusner Pereira in the 25th minute.
Vasco started the match remarkably as they had the best chance in the early minutes of the match but Klusner failed to beat Bardez keeper Swizel in a one-on-one situation. A minute later, Bardez keeper was once again at his best as this time he made a brilliant save to deny Vasco’s Flan.
Bardez also had two clear-cut chances to go into the lead but Triston Lopes and Akhilesh Astekar failed to control their shot.
At the other end, Klusner put his side ahead in the 25th minutes when he got hold of a long pass from Shubert and made no mistake to with powerful right-footer which easily beat the out of position keeper Swizel before entering the net making it 1-0 for the Port Towners.
The Pink Brigade tried hard to find the equaliser in the second session but failed in the final third on many occasions. In one of these, Danston set up fresh-legged Royston Coutinho inside the box but Vasco keeper Kartik upset the forward with a timely clearance. Vasco also had couple of chances to further inflate their lead when Vasco were awarded a free-kick just outside the box but Klusner’s shot sailed over the crossbar, a few minutes later Vasco skipper Shubert tried to find his teammate with a fine cross from the right but Bardez keeper Swizel collect the same before the striker could reach to it.
