Goa Pro League: Camotio's goal helps YC Manora edge past Vasco

The Salcete side won their second match in a row.

Youth Club of Manora registered a hard-fought 1-0 win over Vasco Sports Club in the Goa Professional League match played at Duler Stadium on Thursday. The all-important goal was scored by Manora’s Melisho Camotio in the 25th minute.  

Manora made four changes to their side which had registered a solitary goal win over Velsao SCC in the last match as Manushawn Fernandes, Joliston Rebello, Aditya D’Cruz and Frazier Castanha made it to the cut. On the other hand, Vasco gaffer Micky Fernandes also made few changes to his side following a narrow defeat at the hands of Dempo SC in the previous match as Sanwil D’Costa and Karan Shirodkar were back in the lineup for the Port Towners after missing out in the last match due to suspension.

Manora should have taken the early lead in the very 2nd minute when their skipper Nicholas Fernandes tried to find his teammate Melisho Camotio in the box but Vasco defender Karan made a timely clearance at the cost of a corner.

However, they managed to break the deadlock in the 25th minute when Nicholas nicely curled the ball to onrushing Melisho in the box where Vasco keeper Risven Fernandes came off his line but failed to clear the danger. Taking advantage of the situation, Melisho slotted the ball in the empty net to make it 1-0.

The Port Towners took 40 minutes to come up with the first potent chance of the match as Denil Rebello sent a lob pass to their U20 winger Desmon Gama in the box who made a brilliant turn to beat his marker and went for glory but his strike missed the target by a whisker.

Three minutes later, they had another opportunity to level back as this time Anil Gaonkar made a short pass to Denil who tried his luck from the top of the box only to see it missed the target by few inches.

At the other end, Manora came close to double their lead in the added minutes of the session as Melisho set up Jason Barbosa with a brilliant square pass but the lad failed to connect with an empty net in front of him.

Vasco once again came close to equalising just before halftime as this time Denil sent a through pass to Anil in the box but Manora defender Aaron Dias cleared the danger before Vasco forward could do any damage to their side.

Down by a goal, Vasco coach Micky brought in his experienced and lethal weapon Joaquim Abranches at halftime to sharpen them in the attacking and the lad set up Sanwil at the top of the box with a smart pass where Sanwil went for a glory but his goalbound strike was nicely fisted over the crossbar by Manora keeper Luis Barreto.

A few minutes later, Joaquim was in the action again as this time he was set up by substitute Savlon Fernandes with a brilliant through pass but the forward shot over the crossbar. They once again came close to levelling back in the 63rd minute as Joaquim sent a through pass to Denil in the box who made a square pass to Mathew Colaco in the 6-yard-box but Manora defender Aditya cleared the danger on time.

The Salcete side also had a chance to double their lead in the 65th minute when their skipper Nicholas sent a cross to Eldon Colaco in the box who headed it to unmarked Jason Barbosa but the midfielder’s header hit the crossbar and went out for a goal kick.

The Port Towners tried hard in the last quarter of the match to come back in the match with continuous attacks on the rivals but Manora last line along with their keeper Luis cleared every danger and bagged important three points.

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