Guardian Angel punish Vasco for not converting chances

The Portside continued their poor run in the league...

Yakubu’s brace helped Guardian Angel Sports Club to register a comfortable 3-0 win over Vasco Sports Club in the Goa Professional League match played at Ambelim Ground earlier today.

After an excellent performance in the middle of the season, Guardian are sliding as they have collected just a point from their last three matches. While Vasco are showing no sign of improvement in their performances and have suffered 11 defeats in 15 matches now.

Vasco coach Eban Mesquita made two changes to his side as Olvin Cardozo replaced Faizal Bepari in the starting XI. He also brought in Sudheesh Muthath in the defense. While, Mickey Fernandes was back in the line-up for Guardian after serving a suspension.

The match started with equal efforts from both the ends but Guardian were the first to come close to scoring. Rahul Kumar sent a perfect cross to Snedden Rodrigues in the box, but the U20 striker failed to connect his header from close distance. They got one more chance but this time Estevan Mendes shot wide off Yakubu Mohammed’s cross.

The match was restricted to midfield play for the next fifteen minutes and both the teams tried to keep possession. In the last quarter of the first half, Guardian came up with a series of attacks on the opponents. First, Nicholas Rodrigues found Yakubu in the box with a long ball, but the Nigerian striker failed to connect from close range. Next, Snedden tried to find Yakubu in the box with a low cross from the left but Vasco defender Sudheesh made no mistake to clear it. Sudheesh was in the action again when Guardian's Nicholas dribbled past two defenders and passed the ball to Yakubu but this time also the Vasco defender was right on time to clear it at the cost of a corner.

When it was looking like the first half will end goalless, Guardian opened their tally in added time. Yakubu drove the ball into the net making it 1-0 for the Savordem-side. Nicholas was the architect of the goal.

The Portside came out stronger in the second session and made numerous attacks on the opponents, but every time failed in the final-third. In one of these, Hayson Velho had almost scored the equaliser for his side but defender Mickey blocked it for a corner.

Again the next fifteen minutes belonged to midfield play. In the 70th minute, Guardian wasted an open chance to double their lead when Yakubu shot at Vasco keeper Shilton Pereira instead of tapping the ball in the empty goal. Vasco tried hard to get back into the match and came out all attacking but their striker failed to convert the chances.

The second half was almost completely dominated by Vasco. Their midfielders Kingslee Fernandes, Princeton Rebello and Olvin played an excellent role and created many chances but it was clearly seen that their forwards did not have their shooting boots on.

 Guardian punished them for the same and scored two goals. First, Nicholas calmly finished the ball in the back of Vasco’s nylons after receiving a perfect pass from Yakubu. Later in added time, Yakubu scored his brace when he brilliantly headed in off Nicholas’ perfect cross. 

The Guardian head coach said, “This was a really much-needed victory for us. Somehow we kept on scoring today. It is never easy to keep a one-goal lead. They played much better than us in the second half but we managed to collect all three points.”

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With this win, Guardian have 21 points from 15 matches and stand sixth, while Vasco stand ninth in the league table with 10 points from 15 matches.

 Report by Khel Now Correspondent Ravish Narvekar from Goa . A true Football enthusiast & a die hard Liverpool fan. Ravish also enjoys travelling & he's an avid foodie.