MAPUSA; Velsao SCC fought gallantly to register a hard fought 1-0 win over Guardian Angel SC in the Goa Professional League played at Duler stadium here on Wednesday.
After Wednesday’s match, Velsao SCC after their second consecutive win has 7 points from eight matches while Guardian Angel stays on five points from seven matches.
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In a well contested first session the teams had almost equal number of scoring opportunities but it was Velsao SCC that took the lead through Savelon Cardozo in the 44th minute.
Angel’s would have opened their account in the eighth minute where U-20 Jovial Dias sent a short pass to Beneston Barretto who took a crack at the goal which saw Velsao keeper Presley Mascarenhas pair the ball which hit the upright and went for a corner.
At the other end, Velsao had three good look at the rival goal but Brian Mascarenhas’ grounder from outside the penalty box went just past the side post.
Minutes later, Angel’s keeper Ram Saroop was in thick of action as he pushed a stinging 25-yard free-kick from Brian Mascarenhas for a corner while in the 21st minute once again pushed a fierce grounder from Rohan Rodrigues for corner.
Another glorious chance went in vain for Angel’s when a corner by skipper Gilbert Oliveira was parried by keeper Presley and the ball rolled to Kimran Fernandes who failed to keep his shot inside the Velsao framework.
A minute before the breather and Velsao scored. Rohan Rodrigues’ cross saw Angel defender head the ball which came at the feet of Savelon Cardozo whose shot was blocked by defender Leny Fernandes and off the rebound this time Savelon made no mistake to stab the ball into the net.
In the very first minute of the second half. Angel’s should have equalised. Kimran Fernandes found Basanta Singh at the far post whose header was bravely blocked by Presley for a corner.
After almost thirty-five minutes of midfield tussle, the game came to life in the last ten minutes before the end of the regulation time.
Angel’s substitute Joel Barretto dribbled past a couple of Velsao defenders and tapped the ball at the goal where the keeper fumbled in his collection but defender Brian Mascarenhas cleared the ball from the goal-line.
It was almost curtains down for Angel’s but Jesloy Moniz delayed infront of the goal while Savelon Cardozo’s hot blooded shot was parried for a corner by keeper Ram Saroop.
In the 90th minute, the last chance for an equaliser was squandered by William Niasso as he failed to keep his shot on target off a rebound from the Velsao keeper.
