DULER
Calangute Association came back strongly from two goals down to hold Goan Football Club to a 2-2 draw in the 15th round match of the Goa Professional League organised by GFA, played at Duler stadium, here on Saturday.
After the drawn encounter, Goan FC take 3rd position with 18 points from 12 matches, while Calangute Association are fourth with 18 points from 12 matches as well.
Goan FC coach Clifford Miranda did a commendable job in fielding a squad where he did not have the services of four of his star players, Jonathan Cardozo, Leander D’Cunha, Liston Colaco and Yasir Mohammad, and yet saw his team score two quick goals in the 3rd and 13th minutes of the match through Aaren D’Silva and Veegan
Ferrao.
At the other end, Calangute Association, fresh after their last match victory against Panjim Footballers, saw their coach Alex Alvares start with keeper Selwyn D’Souza and Amar Halankar in defence. Trailing by two goals, the beachside team scored in the 22nd and 31st minutes of play through Bonny Niasso and Kouame Joseph to level the score.
In the first two minutes of the match, the Young Gaurs had two scoring opportunities but Calangute keeper Selwyn D’Souza came up with brilliant saves to deny Hayden Fernandes and Veegan Ferrao from scoring. However in the 3rd minute, Veegan sent a long ball to an overlapping Aaren D’Silva who beat Calangute’s off side trap and lobbed the ball over the onrushing keeper Selwyn D’Souza, 1-0. A strong appeal for an off-side by the Calangute defence was turned down by referee Mario Vales.
It did not take long for the Young Gaurs to double their lead as Krishna Pandit sent a perfect cross to a well positioned Veegan, who headed the ball into the goal, 2-0.
Trailing by two goals, Calangute regrouped and not only pulled a goal back but also scored their equaliser. In the 22nd minute, Bonny Niasso, collecting a long ball from defender Amar Halankar, covered some ground and finished it past the keeper at the first post, 2-1.
Pepped up by the goal, in the 31st minute, Calangute were awarded a direct free kick outside the penalty box. Nigerian Kouame M Joseph curled the free kick past the shaky defensive wall of the Young Gaurs, 2-2.
On crossing ends, the match was fought almost on equal footing with both the teams having a chance to win the match till the end of the regulation time. Calangute’s Omkar More moved from the right flank and flashed the ball across the goal which was collected by keeper Mohammad Nawaz before Joston Pereira could get his foot to the ball.
At the other end, a stinging 35-yard free kick by Hayden Fernandes was acrobatically parried for a corner by Calangute keeper Selwyn. In the added-on time of the match, Young Gaurs almost had the last laugh when a goal-bound shot by Aaren D’Silva was cleared on the goal- line by Bersial Viegas, with keeper Selwyn beaten.
