Sporting Goa down Calangute Association, Dempo SC edge FC Goa

The Flaming Orange are the only unbeaten team in the league

Sporting Clube de Goa secured an easy 3-1 win over Calangute Association in the Goa Pro League match played at Duler Stadium on Monday. The Flaming Orange opened their tally through Alton Vaz in the fourth minute, while Calangute’s Jovito Fernandes made it all equal in the 33rd minute. However, Sporting took the lead in the 52nd minute through Melvin Lobo’s own-goal, while Akeraj Martin scored in the 89th minute to ensure all three points.  

Both Sporting Goa and Calangute Association made a few changes to their lineups. Sporting’s Girish Naik was back in the starting XI after missing out in the last match which they won 5-0 against Velsao SCC. On the other hand, the Calangute coach made three changes to his side which lost to FC Goa in their previous round match. Godfrey Mascarenhas, Moises D’Sa and Veron Pereira were back in the starting XI.

Sporting made a great start to the match as they took just four minutes to go ahead through Alton Vaz. A well-taken corner by Girish was smartly headed in by the Sporting defender, which gave no chance to Calangute’s diving keeper Paramveer Singh.

Down by a goal, the Beachside club came out attacking and created a few chances, but couldn’t make any impact on the scoreline. First, Moises tried his luck from just outside the box, but Sporting keeper Ozen Silva made a diving save to deny the midfielder. A few minutes later, Moises setup Ganesh Thakur in the box with a perfect through pass, but the Calangute lad failed to beat the offside trap. They had another opportunity to level terms in the 15th minute. Chaitan Dabholkar nicely curled the ball to his teammate Veron in the box, but Sporting defender Myron Fernandes' timely interception prevented any damage.

Calangute managed to make it all square in the 33rd minute. Ganesh intercepted a back-pass from a Sporting defender and smartly passed it to an onrushing Jovito Fernandes. The youngster’s powerful strike gave no chance to Sporting keeper Ozen, making it 1-1.

Calangute should have taken the lead within the next three minutes. Ganesh once again came up with a superb pass to the unmarked Veron, whose strike from just inside the box went just over the crossbar. They once again came close to taking the lead with just a minute left for half-time. Calangute’s Godfrey found himself at the receiving end of a well-taken corner by Moise, but his strike missed the target narrowly.

Sporting coach Savio Vaz made a double substitution at half-time to sharpen his side. Akeraj Martin and Liston Cardozo replaced both the youngsters Richie Vaz and Allan Peixoto respectively.

Sporting who came out attacking after changing the ends almost took the lead in the fourth minute of the second half. Marcus showed brilliant footwork to beat Calangute keeper and sent a ball in the empty net, but their defender Umesh Pujar blocked it with his the chest at the cost of a corner.

However, the Flaming Orange once again surged ahead in the 52nd minute. Calangute defender Malvin Lobo, in the process of clearing a dangerous low cross from Sporting's Marcus Mascarenhas, sent the ball in his own-goal to give the rivals a 2-1 lead.

Calangute tried hard to get back into the match with continuous attacks, but could not make any changes to the scoresheet. At the other end, substitute Akeraj Martin added another to the tally in the 89th minute to ensure all three points for his side.

In the other match played at Chowgule College Ground, Dempo Sports Club managed to beat FC Goa by a 2-1 margin. The Junior Gaurs made a good start to the match with an opening goal in the 19th minute through Brison Fernandes, but Pedro Gonsalves scored in the added minutes of the half to cancel out FC Goa’s slender. Klusner Pereira took Dempo into the lead in the 62nd minute which later proved to be winner for his side. 

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