MARGAO: Sporting Clube de Goa drew heavily on foreign import to kick-start their campaign with a 3-2 victory over United Sports Club, Kolkata in a Group B encounter of 127th Durand Cup football tournament, quarter-finals league, at Panchayat ground, Raia, on Wednesday. The Flaming Oranje led 2-1 at half time. The highlight of the day was brilliant brace by striker Boima Karpeh.
The Panjim-outfit started the game on an attacking note with their midfielders and forwards working in tandem to put the rival defence under tremendous pressure and took the lead in the very third minute when promising midfielder Rowllin Borges’ well-executed free-kick landed to Boima, who outpaced his markers and beat the rival goalkeeper Ranjit Majumder with a clinical finish, 1-0.
Soon, The Flaming Oranje doubled the lead in the seventh minute when Boima gave finishing touches to debutant Anthony Wolfe’s pass after Mauvin Borges had done the spadework.
Midway, Sporting Clube lost their concentration and the Kolkata team reduced the deficit in the 32nd minute through striker Shankar Oraon, who sped past the rival defender after picking up the ball from Surokit Bose and beat the home team goalkeeper Kamaljit Singh with an adroit placement.
Post resumption, Oscar Bruzon’s men continued to enjoy the better share of exchanges and put the issue beyond doubt in the 60th minute after Wolfe, who moved swiftly inside the rival penalty box, was brought down by rival defender and referee Maria Joseph awarded a spot kick. Wolfe himself took the resultant spot-kick to send the rival goalkeeper the wrong way, 3-1
After spurning easy scoring opportunities, United SC reduced the margin in the 70th minute when Onyeama Francis Dkecbhukwu’s rasping shot deflected off a rival defender and the ball travelled to Sujay Oraon, who unleashed a left-footer which crashed into the net.
In the final quarter, the visitors pressed more men forward in an attempt to secure the equalizer but Sporting Clube goalkeeper Kamaljit Singh was rock solid to deny rival striker Shankar Oraon a sure goal to troop out worthy winners.
