GPL 2019-20: Panjim Footballers stun Vasco SC 3-0 to register first win

Joyson Gauncar scored a brace, while Janio Fernandes scored the other goal for the Capital City side.

Panjim Footballers registered first points as they blanked Vasco SC by a convincing 3-0 margin in the Goa Professional League match, played at Duler Stadium, Goa on Thursday.

Vasco gaffer Micky Fernandes was back after missing out last three matches and he made three changes as Raju Padashi, Aliston D’Souza and Micky Vaz made the cut for the Port Towners.

Panjim coach Shekhar Kerkar also made a few alterations to their side following a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Churchill Brothers as Xavier Rebello, Lloyd Cardozo and Lakesh Gawas found their names in the starting XI.

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After a midfield play in the first 10 minutes, Panjim came close to score in the 11th minute when Vallmiky Miranda made a long pass to Lloyd who chested it down in the box but shot wide from close.

A few minutes later, they had another opportunity to take the lead when Vasco defender Mainoo Dadanuvoor made a dangerous tackle on Chand Gawas just outside the box where referee Parmanand Mandrekar booked the defender and awarded a freekick to Panjim. But Vallmiky failed to keep his shot on target as the ball went wide for a goal kick.

However, Panjim took the lead in the 19th minute when Alston Comotio’s short corner was nicely crossed by Joyson Gaunkar to Kunal Kundaikar, who tapped it to his teammate Janio Fernandes in front of the goal. The Panjim defender just headed in from close to put his side ahead.

A few minutes later, Joyson almost doubled the lead for his side when he went for glory from 30-yards but Vasco shot-stopper stretched to his limit to push the goal bound strike for a corner.

Vasco had to wait till the half-hour mark to look at the goal as Mathew Colaco made a short pass to Ivorian striker Lago Bei just outside the box but his sparkling shot was brilliantly blocked by Panjim keeper Preston Rego.

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Two minutes later, the Port Towners once again found a breakthrough and this time U-20 winger Sheldon Pereira sent a fine cross to Mathew in the box but Panjim keeper Preston came off his line to thwart the Vasco forward.

At the other end, Panjim once again came close to doubling the lead in the 36th minute when Lloyd tried to find his teammate with a cross where Vasco defender Sanwil D’Costa, in the process of clearing the danger, sent the ball in his own goal but right-back Aliston made a timely goal line clearance.

They had another chance to extend their lead in the added minutes when Alston made a tough pass to Chandan in the box but the player shot over the crossbar from close range much to the relief of rival keeper Sanju.

It was just six minutes in the second session when Panjim doubled their lead as their midfielder Joyson’s 30-yard free kick slipped off Vasco keeper Sanju’s gloves and ended up in the net making it 2-0.

Vasco also had a chance to reduce the margin in the 60th minute when Sanwil nicely jelled up with Anil at the edge of the box and fired a shot only to see it missed by few inches. Whereas, the Port Towners were lucky not to concede the third goal in the 66th minute when Joyson’s strike from the edge of the box rebounded off the crossbar.

However, Joyson managed to complete his brace in the 78th minute when Chandan’s cross was parried by Vasco keeper Sanju, as he chested the ball into the net to make it 3-0 for the capital city side.

Click here for the Goa Pro League 2019-20 points table after this match.