MARGAO
Cortalim Villagers Social Welfare Sports Club and Sesa Football Academy shared a point each after playing out a 1-1 draw in an end-to-end match in the GFA'S Professional League, at Nagoa Panchayat Sports Complex, on Monday.
Chaitan Dabholkar put Sesa in front in the first half but Vikram Venkatachalam equalised at the stroke of first half.
Both Cortalim Villagers and Sesa Football Academy were looking to assert their dominance in the top half fierce battle but lacked the clinical edge.
Sesa were sharp from the start and should have nicked a goal in the fifth minute when Omkar Shetgaonkar connected put it on the plate for inside the penalty box for Sankalp Kankonkar who wasted the opportunity with a poor execution as the rival goalkeeper saved the shot.
Sesa Football Academy broke the deadlock in the 10th minute when striker Chaitan Dabolkar punished the Cortalim goalkeeper with a neat finish .
Cortalim knocked on Sesa doors looking for a breathing space at the stroke of lemon break. Vikram showed control and pace as he sprinted into the box and punted the ball to the far corner the net to level the score.
The second half saw a rejuvenated Sesa Football Academy making three strategic substitutions during halftime to gain control. The fresh legs injected new energy in Sesa attack.
At the other end, Cortalim Villagers had a couple of scoring chances but their strikers misfired from close range .
Meanwhile, Dempo's golden wings were clipped at Ella ground, drawing 1-1 with Vasco SC. Despite their recent thrashing of the same team, the Golden Eagles couldn't soar to victory, and their league lead remains precarious.
Aaron Barreto's first-half strike initially lifted Dempo's spirits, but Vasco clawed back through Meitei's opportunistic finish in the second. Dempo sputtered, missing key chances from Arnold and others, ultimately settling for a disappointing draw.
With 26 points from 13 games, Dempo still lead the table, but Pax of Nagoa and Sporting Goa lurk, just two and three points behind respectively. Vasco sit mid-table at 11 points, but the title race has tightened, with all three contenders locked in a battle for Goan football supremacy.
In the GFA U-13 Khelo India Women’s Football League, CSM Taleigao were outmatched by Laxmi Prasad SC 4-0, who dominated with a hat-trick from Divya Naik and a goal from Pratigya Ekka. Dunes SC cruised to a 5-2 against UC Ucassaim, with Sansia Rodrigues and Tannu Singh netting two goals each, while Skye Fernandes adding another. Union of Chinchinim Villagers annihilated Sirvodem SC 10-0, with Keren D'Souza's four goals leading the scoring spree, alongside goals from Amber Borges, Leticia Monteiro, Analee D'Costa, Joiada Rocha, and an own goal from Analee Cardozo.
