PANAJI
Geno FC produced a spirited second-half comeback to edge Goa Police SC 2–1 in Match 15 of the Goa Professional League 2025–26 at Duler Stadium, Mapusa.
Tactical substitutions by coach Francisco Jose Bruto Da Costa turned the tide after Goa Police had taken an early lead.
The game began with intensity and Goa Police captain Harshad Gaonkar picked up a yellow card as early as the 4th minute, setting the tone for a physical contest. The breakthrough came in the 13th minute when Xavier Rebelo’s cross was met smartly by Raunak Rupesh Toraskar, whose finish put Goa Police ahead 1–0. The men in red could have doubled their advantage soon after, but Kunal Salgaonkar missed from a fine pass by Naythan Coutinho in the 17th minute.
Geno regrouped and nearly equalised when Deeshank Kunkalikar’s cross struck the post, with Michael Dias pouncing on the rebound to score in the 36th minute. Moments later, Geno’s Pratik Naik was booked for a rough challenge, before Goa Police nearly restored their lead in stoppage time through Shashank Ashwekar, only for Geno’s defence to stand tall. The half ended 1–1, both teams creating chances but guilty of profligacy.
After the restart, it was Geno’s changes that defined the game. In the 53rd minute, substitute Nigel Fernandes won possession and slipped a decisive pass to fellow substitute Lloyd Cardozo, who calmly slotted past Saiesh Kunkolkar to make it 2–1. From there, Geno dictated the tempo, pressing high and testing the Goa Police backline. Goa Police pushed hard for an equaliser, with Mayuresh Naik’s late run blocked and goalkeeper Saiesh Kunkolkar making key saves to keep them in contention. Geno nearly sealed it in injury time, but Goa Police’s custodian denied a certain third.
In the dying minutes, Lenstan Afonso of Geno FC was shown a yellow for a tactical foul, while Goa Police failed to capitalise on a final free-kick. The match ended 2–1 in Geno’s favour, a result that highlighted their resilience and bench strength.
Player of the Match: Gaurav Kankonkar (Geno FC) for dictating midfield play and driving the team’s comeback.
