the goan I network
DULER
Vasco Sports Club continued their winning streak as they drubbed Bardez Football Club 5-0 in the Goa Professional League at Duler stadium here on Wednesday. After today’s victory, Vasco have 23 points from 17 matches while Bardez FC are stuck on 6 points from 14 matches.
In an ironic scenario, Vasco took the field having won last four of their league matches while Bardez had lost their last four matches; while their first-leg meeting had produced a 2-2 draw at the same venue.
Vasco coach Micky Fernandes brought in two changes in the Starting XI in the form of last match’s goal-scorer, Beneston Barretto and Shubham Rao Dessai. Bardez coach Savio D’Souza also made two changes as he fielded Carlton Cabral and Stephen Martin.
Early in the match, Vasco had chances to score but U-20 player Darren Rebello failed on both occasions. In the very 5th minute, a long ball by Nigerian midfielder Penn Orji saw Darren’s shot miss the target, and two minutes later; Darren failed to capitalise on an easy chance. However, striker Beneston drew first blood in the 20th minute when he collected Orji’s through-pass and put a clinical finish from just the 10-yard distance.
As the match progressed, Vasco had two chances to double their lead, when Moises D’Sa found Anil Gaonkar with a superb through-pass but the winger’s additional touch saw the ball go wide, while U-20 forward Aman Govekar also missed a sitter.
Bardez did try to exert some pressure onto the opponents with few attacks but their strikers failed to keep their shots on target. The Port-Towners came up with a series of attack on the rival citadel in the last quarter of the match, but Beneston, Lenstan Afonso and Anil Gaonkar failed to score.
A minute before the breather, Anil saw his powerful shot miss the target narrowly from close, while in the added time, Moises set up Anil with a perfect chip into the box but Bardez goalkeeper Elesh Shirvoikar came off the line to deny him in an one-on-one situation.
On crossing over, it was Bardez who came close to levelling the terms where a blistering 30-yard shot by striker Stephen Martin went just past the crossbar. Vasco doubled their lead in the 60th minute from a well-combined move initiated by medio Rugved Yeole, who passed the ball to Beneston Barretto, who in turn set up Moises D’Sa, who cleverly placed the ball into the nets (2-0).
It did not take long for the Port-Towners to net their third goal when in the 71st minute, their playmaker and foreign import Nigerian Penn Orji got hold off a pass inside the penalty box from Rugved Yeole, dribbled past a defender and sent a stiff grounder to the far corner of the goal.
Energised by the goal, the Port-Towners hammered in two quick goals in the 77th and 78th minutes through Anil Gaonkar and Beneston Barretto (5-0).
