TEAM HERALD
MAPUSA: Wilred Leisure Sports Club rallied to salvage their first point with a 1-1 draw against Sporting Clube de Goa in a round three match of Airtel Goa Pro League football at Duler Stadium, here, Friday. Sporting led 1-0 at the breather.
Wilred played their hearts out but poor finishing let them down as they conceded in the 36th minute. However, they fought their way back into the game and equalized in the second session when skipper Bruno Fernandes scored from the penalty spot.
League’s top-scorer Liberian Boima Karpeh started upfront for Sporting Clube alongside Rowllin Borges while Wilred Leisure fielded Jerose Oliveira and Melwin Fernandes in the striking role.
Wilred started full of energy and played with freedom as experienced Jhonny D’Cruz pulled the strings in the midfield alongwith Bazileo Rego.
Sporting Clube were edgy in defence as their rivals started attackingly. Wilred created a promising move in the ninth minute when Agnelo Colaco essayed a pass to Bonny Niasso, who sent a dangerous cross in the danger zone but Melwin could not connect the ball in time.
Then, in the 17th minute Bonny sent an intelligent through ball to Melwin but Sporting Clube defender Keenan Almeida came up with a timely tackle.
The Flaming Oranje were a subdued lot and at the half hour mark their head coach Oscar Bruzon made a tactical change as Rowllin dropped in the left flank with Beevan moving up to partner Boima.
Sporting Clube slowly struck rhythm and surged ahead in the 36th minute. A long cross from Clemente Joseph sailed over the rival defenders and found Boima, whose rasping shot was blocked by Wilred custodian Jovial Coutinho but the ball fell to unmarked Cajetan Fernandes, who made no mistake from hand-shaking distance.
Wilred were stunned but had a chance to equalize three minutes before the lemon break after Melwin sent in a defence splitting ball to Agnelo but the latter’s close ranger was blocked by Sporting Clube goalkeeper Ravi Kumar.
Changing over, Nigerian playmaker Kalu Ogba came in place of Beevan and soon Sporting Clube looked organized.
In the 57th minute, Sporting Clube could have doubled their lead but Boima’s powerful effort hit the side-netting off an assist from Rowllin.
Eight minutes later, Kalu was booked by referee Chandrashekar Shirodkar following a lunge on Jhonny.
In the 72nd minute, Wilred were awarded a penalty after Sporting Clube captain Mathew Gonsalves brought down Jerose inside the danger zone. Referee Shirodkar had first awarded a free-kick but after the Wilred players protested he consulted his assistant Dharma Chodankar, who was in a better position to observe the happenings and then decided to change his decision and award a penalty in Wilred’s favour. Wilred skipper Bruno Fernandes stepped up and coolly slotted past the rival custodian from the penalty spot for the equalizer.
With three minutes to go for the final whistle, Sporting Clube substitute Victorino Fernandes could have scored the match-winner but the latter headed over from close range.
Then in the injury time, Victorino had another golden opportunity to score from an ideal position but he opted to pass to Boima, who delayed in finishing as the ball was cleared to safety by a rival defender.
