RAIA: Verna Sports Club edge past Dicarpale Sports Club 1-0 to enter the final of the 17th All Goa Guirdolim Panchayat Cup organised by Guirdolim Club at Chandor church sports complex ground, on Friday.
The match kicked off with both teams demonstrating hunger to break the deadlock right from the word go. It was Dicarpale SC who made the first move but William Niasso was unlucky to see his powerful strike kiss the upright and go out of play in the 5th minute.
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Jaison Vales was the culprit for Dicarpale SC in the 7th minute when he failed to capitalise on a defensive error by the Verna SC defence to blast his kick wide off the mark.
In the 15th minute, Eusebio of Verna SC was tackled in the nick of time by Sanju in the Dicarpale SC defence to deny a scoring opportunity. Eusebio again fumbled in front of the Dicarpale SC goal and missed an easy sitter in the 21st minute. Both teams created many opportunities but couldn’t convert any and went into the break with the score reading 0-0.
After change of ends, both teams maintained the tempo much to the satisfaction of a huge crowd. It was again Dicarpale SC who looked sharper of the two teams but poor finishing led them down.
Dicarpale SC pushed more players forward in hope of scoring but it proved to be costly as a counter attack led to a beautiful one-two between Eusebio and Ajoy, with Eusebio scoring with a low shot in the 48th minute to give Verna SC the lead. Thereafter, Dicarpale SC went all out to equalise and almost succeeded in the 54th minute but Jaison’s power-packed volley off a corner kick hit the upright and went out of play.
Dicarpale SC pushed hard for an equaliser but the resolute Verna SC defence led by Cyrus stood rock solid ensuring a victory for Verna Sports Club and an entry into the final.
Eusebio Fernandes of Verna SC was awarded the man-of-the-match by Jose Peixoto, ex-co member of Guirdolim Club.
