MARGAO
Verna Sports Club rallied to oust Betalbatim Sporting Club 6-5 in the tie-breaker and enter the quarterfinals of the V.M Salgaocar Memorial Invitational football tournament, organised by Prime SC in association with Margao SC, at St John Baptist ground, Dando-Benaulim.
In an exciting encounter, the young Betalbatim side matched their inform rivals to keep the score goalless at the lemon break. Betalbatim strikers Wenseslau Antao and Selroy Fernandes kept the Verna defenders on their toes with their sprints. Salvador Rego almost broke the deadlock for Verna when he right foot shot went wide.
After the breather, Betalbatim struck a double blow to their more fancied rivals when medio Naison D' Cunha struck a volley past Verna goalkeeper Royal Moniz in the 45th minute and two minutes later striker Wenceslau Antao connected a well measured cross from the right flank by Alden Fernandes to the utte joy of their supporters.
Stung by the setback,Verna made a splendid recovery and striker Royden Rego held off the challenge of rival defender Ashley Fernandes to shoot past Betalbatim's Gladstone Fernandes . The goal put pressure on the Betalbatim defence-line as Mackinley Cunha brought down Hilton Fernades to concede a penalty which was easily converted by Salvador Gama.
In the ensuing tie-breaker, Verna scored through Royden Rego, Ajay Satarkar, Salvador Gama and Nevil Menezes while Ashley Fernandes, Jesus Ferrao and Oliver D' Souza netted for Betalbatim.
