Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: Guardian Angel Sports Club scored a massive 5-1 win over Clube Sao Miguel de Taleigao in their GFA’s Goa Professional League encounter played at Duler Stadium, Mapusa, on Monday.
It was foreign recruit Guardian Angels’s Yakubu Mohammed who did most of the damage, netting in four goals at regular intervals.
In a mostly one way traffic match, the winners had the first clear look at the rival goal in the 4th minute of play when Estevan Mendes squeezed into the Taleigao danger zone after getting the better of the defenders only to see his effort being kept at bay by keeper Rohan Sheikh.
Couple of minutes later Stephen sent a neat pass to Snedden Rodrigues right inside the Taleigao goal area only to see the U-20 falter when it mattered most.
The relentless probing finally paid off when Isaac set up Yakubu Mohammad who fired a powerful volley which struck the Taleigao sidepost before entering the goal, 1-0.
Yakubu almost netted in his brace within a span of a few minutes when he made a breathtaking run into the Taleigao danger zone, but keeper Rohan did well to block him in a one-on-one situation.
Guardian Angel were once again denied of consolidating their lead when Stephen’s powerful shot banged the Taleigao upright.
In the 30th minute of play Guardian Angel were awarded a penalty after referee Tejas Nagvekar found Taleigao’s Krishnanath Shirodkar guilty of handling the ball inside the penalty area. Yakubu who stepped forward made no mistake in converting, 2-0.
The only threatening move that Taleigao created in the first half was converted into a goal when Prajat sent a defence splitting pass to Jerose Oliveira who unleashed a powerful low shot from the top of the box which crashed into the back of the Guardian Angel nets, 1-2.
Estevan almost increased the tally for Guardian Angel before going into the breather; however his strike grazed past the Taleigao goal post and rolled out of play.
Changing ends Guardian Angel colts were all over the Taleigao citadel right from the word go where Yakubu saw his shot sail inches past the goal. However not the one to give up so easily, Yakubu pushed forward on the attacking front and scored his hat-trick by giving finishing touches to Estevan’s spadework, 3-1.
Taleigao had a chance to reduce the margin, however Prajat nodded the ball straight at keeper Ram Sroop to the dismay of his teammates.
Guardian Angel hunger for goals did not end and they managed to net in two more, where first Yakubu scored through a fine placement on collecting the ball from Lavino Fernandes and then minutes later Lavino sent a through pass to Nevil Soares whose blistering shot gave no chance to the diving keeper, 5-1.
