PANAJI
Sporting Clube de Goa scored a late equaliser to hold Churchill Brothers to a 1-1 draw in the Goa Professional League at Duler Stadium, Mapusa on Monday.
Churchill Brothers took the lead through Bradley Carvalho while Marcus Mascarenhas netted the equaliser for Sporting Clube.
From the very first whistle, it was evident that this would be a fiercely contested battle. Both sides displayed their intent to secure a positive result with aggressive play.
The first noteworthy moment arrived when Sporting Clube's Rohan Rodrigues launched a free kick towards the goal, forcing Churchill goalkeeper Shubhajit Bhattacharjee to make a diving save. In the 13th minute, the deadlock was broken as the Churchill Brothers took the lead. A reckless tackle by Sporting Clube's defence presented an opportunity to Churchill and Bradley Carvalho expertly guided a cross into the net with an accurate header from close range.
Churchill's goalkeeper continued to be a key figure in the game, thwarting a threatening shot from Sporting Clube's Joyson Coutinho, ensuring his team maintained their lead.
Sporting Clube, determined to get back into the contest, made valiant attempts to find the equaliser. Players like Llyod and Liston Cardozo made their presence felt, creating moments of danger for the opposition. However, they couldn't break through Churchill Brothers' resolute defence.
The turning point arrived in the 87th minute when Biswa Darjee, representing Sporting Clube, delivered an exquisite cross into the penalty box. Marcus Mascarenhas rose above the defence and executed a perfect header over the keeper, finally earning Sporting Clube the equaliser they had been striving for.
Bradley Carvalho was named the player of the match and the award was presented by GFA Executive Member (Co-opted) Nathan Vaz.
