Vasco down Guardian Angel in GPL

Guinean midfielder Vassesa Toure scored a brace for the Port Towners...

Vasco Sports Club registered their first win in the league as they edged past Guardian Angel Sports Club 2-1 in the Goa Professional League match played at Duler Stadium earlier today.

Vasco had not a good start to the league as they lost their opening two matches but managed to grab a point from the last match against Calangute Association. At the other hand, Angels had won their two of three matches played against Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim and Corps of Signals.

Vasco coach introduced their newly signed Nigerian striker John Nuanna and Guinean midfielder Vassesa Toure replacing Sherwin Lobo and Deryl Endro in the starting XI, whereas Angels coach Riston Rodrigues field the same line from the last match.

The match started with end-to-end affairs where Vasco came up with the first shot on target when Nigerian forward shot from close after getting a pass from Stephen Colaco but the Angels keeper Jeet Gupta made a diving save.

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Four minutes later, Angels also had a chance to take the lead as Nicholas Rodrigues found Alson Fernandes from the corner but the defender tap wide from close.

At the other end, Vasco had the golden opportunity to go on a lead when Schubert Pereira’s free-kick deflected off his teammate and found unmarked Godfray Mascarenhas in the box but the defender headed wide with keeper completely out of position.

In the 43rd minutes, the Port Towners came close to scoring when Clive Coelho dribbled past few defenders in the box before releasing the ball to Stephen but the striker failed to connect from the goalmouth. However, Vasco surged ahead in the very next minute through Guinean medio Toure when he brilliantly headed in off Minesh Kunkolkar curling corner making it 1-0 for his side at the halftime.

Vasco coach Eban brought in Beneston Barretto at the halftime replacing Anil Gaonkar on the wing to sharpen them in the attacking but it was the Curchorem based club who came with the equaliser with just six minutes in the second half. Perryson Rebello once again came off the bench to rescue his side as his powerful shot from the top of the box finished in the net making it all square for the Angels.

A few minutes later, they had a chance to go on a lead when Vasco defender Myran Pereira lost the hold of the Perryson in the box but the striker shot wide from 6-yards.

With just two minutes after hour mark, Vasco once again took the lead through Toure when he well combined with Nigerian striker Nuanna who released him a nice ball, who later made a drifting run taking an opponent defender with him and shot from just inside the box which entered the goal making it 2-1 for the Port Towners.

The last few minutes were very intense for the Vasco supporters as Angels came all attacking but first, Abel Hammond missed the sitter as he failed to connect from close to Perryson’s low cross, while a few minutes later, Nicholas saw his sparkling long ranger brilliantly blocked by Vasco keeper Suresh Lamani.

At the other end, Vasco also had a chance to further inflate their lead but substitute Beneston shot wide from inside the box after receiving a short pass from Nuanna.

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On the counter-attack, Perryson had the last chance to restore the parity for his side when he dribbled past few defenders and placed the ball in the goal but the was denied by the woodwork.