TEAM HERALD
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: With a cracking shot, Bonny Niasso came up with the equaliser 12 minutes from the end for Wilred Leisure as they drew 2-2 with Goa Police, in GFA’s First Division at Sangolda ground, Friday. The game was tied 1-1 at the interval after Sertorio Monteiro opened the scoring for Wilred and Domnick Fernandes found the equaliser for Goa Police.
The game paused for four minutes after Wilred found the equaliser, as there was some dispute behind the goal among spectators, but organiser Nilkanth Naik trooped over quickly to restore calm.
Wilred created far more chance than their opponents, but poor finishing in front of goal cost them achieving full points. Tactical substitutions in the later stages ensured they came away with a point. Defender Bonny fully deserved the goal after overlapping on many occasions and moving back into position promptly.
Goa Police are slowly getting used to the top flight. They were most threatening when they used their aerial prowess, as was demonstrated with their second goal when Paresh Morje headed to score within 13 seconds of the second half.
Goa Police had the opportunity to score after just two minutes, but Myron Araujo shot over. After a quarter of an hour, Wilred dominated proceedings for a good 15 minutes, having ten attempts at goal, but only converting one of them. While most shots went miserably wide, the Goa Police custodian pulled off a fantastic one-handed save to deny Edison Sequeira.
In the 25th minute Wilred finally took the lead, when Sertorio was played one-on-one with the goalkeeper and he slotted neatly into the corner, hitting the post on way into the net.
Ten minutes before the break, Goa Police’s Paresh Morje looked in an off-side position when he broke towards the Wilred goal and gracefully rounded the goalkeeper, but Wilred defender Meldon D’silva got back just in time to clear the ball off the line.
Five minutes later, Goa Police finally got the equaliser, when striker Allwyn Fernandes shot from the top of the box, which was charged down by teammate Paresh and his shot was saved by the Wilred goalkeeper, only to see Domnick tap in the rebounder.
Goa Police’s start to the second half was amazing as from the kick-off Allwyn burst down the left flank and picked out Paresh with his cross and he made it look too easy as he hardly had to jump to guide the ball into the back of the net with his head.
Wilred proceeded to pile on the pressure once again, while their opponents looked to count down the clock. Striker Melwin Fernandes and midfielders Tony Dias and Mariano Rebello were brought on for Wilred in search of the equaliser.
Melvin nearly scored from his first touch, but his shot was blocked out. Ten minutes later Tony slid in at the back post, but missed the ball by a whisker. The Goa Police custodian did well to pull off a save from
Finally Wilred came up with the equaliser when the ball fell to Bonny thirty yards from goal and he struck a sweet drive through a packed box with ball clipping the post on its way in.
In the 95th minute, Goa Police had the chance to snatch victory, after the Wilred custodian failed to collect a cross, but Domnick managed to hit the crossbar from close range.
Goalkeeper Rupesh kamat, Paresh and captain Punaji Kalangutkar picked up bookings for Goa Police, while Standly Fernandes and Bruno Fernandes were the Wilred players cautioned.
