MARGAO
In an entertaining quarterfinal encounter of the Benaulim Villagers Cup at the St John the Baptist Panchayat ground, Betalbatim Sports Club edged out Guardian Angel SC 1-0 to storm into the semifinals.
From the opening whistle, both teams matched each other in pace, precision, and passion. Guardian Angel nearly drew first blood in the 8th minute when Rato Costa’s powerful header rattled the crossbar.
Betalbatim struck gold in the 14th minute when Nayab Khan capitalised on a defensive lapse and calmly slotted the ball home. He almost doubled the lead in the 30th minute but failed to convert a golden chance.
The second half saw relentless end-to-end action. Clifford Miranda and Dickson Rogtao orchestrated beautiful build-ups, but luck eluded Betalbatim. Guardian Angel threw everything forward in the final minutes, but defenders Alison Rogtao and Ashley formed a wall, while keeper Milton D’Souza was sensational, pulling off three breathtaking saves to seal a well-deserved win.
