Panjim hold FC Goa to a four goal thriller

Guardian Angel also held mighty Churchill Brothers in the other match of the day.

Panjim footballers came back twice from a goal down to hold FC Goa to a high scoring 2-2 draw in the Goa Professional League match played at the Duler Stadium earlier today. Goan coach Clifford Miranda included Liston Coalco, Princeton Rebello and Jonathan Cardozo who were promoted to their senior side. Whereas Panjim players like, Clive Miranda, Shubert D’costa, Kunal Kundalkar, Gautam Dias and Akeraj Martins were promoted to their parent Club Sporting Clube de Goa following their great performance in the last season.  

After possession football from Goans in the first ten minutes, they came close to scoring in the 11th minutes when Liston cut past a defender and drilled powerful left-footer from just outside the box where Panjim keeper Sherwin Da Cunha failed to collect it but they were lucky to escape without conceding as the ball rebound off the side-post.

A few minutes later, Goan winger Kingslee Fernandes was pulled down in the box by Panjim defender Prasil Kankonkar but referee Parmanand Mandrekar overlooked the situation, keeping Goan officials protesting the decision.

Goan had the best chance of the match in the 22nd minutes when Nestor Dias made a long ball to Liston who covered some ground but shot on keeper Sherwin instead of putting it in the goal. At the very next minute, Panjim came close to scoring on the counter-attack but first, Alston Camotio Goalbound shot was blocked by Goan keeper Dhas, while he came with another brilliant save in the very next seconds to deny Snedden Rodrigues from close.

Goan finally managed to break the deadlock in the 39th minutes when their striker Lalawmpuia easily dribbled two defenders and shot from the acute angle which hit the far post before entering back of the net. Lalawmpuia had a chance to double the tally in the closing stage of the first half as this time he was brilliantly set up by Princeton with a superb through pass but the forward was blocked by Panjim keeper Sherwin in a one-on-one situation.

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The Capital city side regrouped and came out stronger in the second session as they took just three minutes to level back. Alston found Chandan Gawas with a fine low cross from the edge of the box where Chandan set up Snedden in the goal mouth with a short pass. The skipper later made an easy tap-in to make it 1-1.

Panjim had another chance just after crossing the hour mark as this time Xavier Rebello sent a long freekick to Chandan in the box but the forward’s header missed the target narrowly.

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At the other end, Goan once again took the lead through Liston as a pin-point cross from substitute Imran Khan was drilled at the goal by the striker but Panjim keeper denied him with a superb block. However, he could not save the rebound off the same striker. Down by a goal, Panjim came out all attacking and came close in the 70th minutes when Chandan faked Goan defender Lalhmagaihsanga and keeper Dhas in the box but his strike rebound off the crossbar from the goalmouth. However, in the 77th minutes, Panjim skipper Snedden brilliantly dribbled past few opponents to enter the box and shot past Goan keeper Dhas to make it all square.

In the other match played at Navelim Football Ground, Guardian Angel Sports Club held Churchill Brothers Sports Club to an entertaining 2-2 draw. Clencio Pinto and Gilbert Oliveira were on the target for the Red Machines, while Nigerian striker Yakubu Mohammed scored the brace for the Curchorem based club.