MARGAO
Goa and Telangana played out a goalless draw in their opening Group A (Tier 1) match of the Junior Boys' National Football Championship for the Dr BC Roy Trophy 2025-26, held at the Sahibzada Fateh Singh Stadium in Amritsar on Sunday.
Goa began the match with attacking intent, creating several chances early on. However, the team struggled to convert those opportunities into goals, with finishing proving to be their Achilles' heel. The humid conditions also appeared to hamper Goa’s attacking rhythm.
Messi Colaco and Clizer Noronha had promising opportunities to break the deadlock but were unable to find the back of the net. After the break, Goa continued to press high and dominate possession, but the elusive goal never came.
Rahul Shepari provided energy in the forward line, while Aaryav D’Costa had a golden chance in a one-on-one situation but was denied by the Telangana goalkeeper.
Goa looked more threatening in the early stages of the second half but gradually lost momentum, with fatigue and humidity taking a toll on their intensity.
Despite the draw, Goa showed glimpses of promise and will look to bounce back stronger in their next group match against Delhi on July 22.
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Coach sees positives despite draw
MARGAO: Goa head coach Shane Temudo expressed satisfaction with his team's performance despite a goalless draw against Telangana in their opening fixture of the Junior Boys’ National Football Championship for Dr BC Roy Trophy 2025-26.
Speaking to The Goan after the match, Temudo said, “We drew the match but I’m happy with our performance. We played well, created several scoring chances, and controlled the game.”
Temudo acknowledged that the extreme humidity had an impact on his players’ performance. “The conditions were tough, and it affected us to some extent,” he noted.
The Goa coach also pointed to missed opportunities in front of goal as a key factor in the result. “Our forwards spurned several scoring chances, which made the difference,” he said.
Looking ahead, Temudo emphasised the importance of their upcoming clash against Delhi on July 22. “We are focused on the next match and must give our best to secure a win,” he concluded.
