the goan I network
DULER
Football Club de Bardez fought gallantly to hold hot favorites Calangute Association Sports Club to a goalless draw in the 19th round match of Goa Professional League, organised by Goa Football Association, at Duler Stadium, here on Wednesday.
After the draw, Calangute stand at the 6th position with 19 points from 16 matches, while Bardez are at the 9th place with 16 points from the same number of matches.
Bardez assistant coach Climax Lawrence, being in charge of the team in the absence of head coach Armando Colaco, after their humiliating 6-0 defeat to Guardian Angel SC in the last round
match, brought in Ronil Azavedo, Viraj Naik, Inacio Colcao, Joywin Carneiro, Sherman Vaz and Denstan Fernandes. At the other end, Calangute coach Alex Alvares -- after his team’s 2-0 loss to Dempo SC -- brought in Amar Halankar and Yamnursab Pinjar in his starting line-up.
After some drab football in the first 25 minutes, it was the Pink Brigade who created the first dangerous attempt at the rival goal. Ronil Azevedo easily dribbled past Calangute defender Kouame Joseph and set up his team-mate Clinton Niasso with just the keeper to beat but the striker failed to keep his shot on target.
It did not take long for Calangute to build their attacks and in the 36th minute Josley Dias made a darting run from the right wing and tried to find Blake Haldankar in the box but Bardez keeper David Chauhan came off his line to collect the ball. In the added-on time of the first session, Calangute had the best chance to break the deadlock when Nigerian Kouame’s header off Joston Pereira’s corner rebounded off the crossbar.
On resumption of play, the play once again was restricted to midfield and the game came to life only in the 60th minute of play. Shubham Rao Desai dribbled past a defender in the box and found Ronil at the far end of the post, who made a tap at the far post only to see it being cleared off the goal-line by Bersal Viegas.
Another glorious chance went in vain for Calangute as 10 minutes later, Bersal Viegas sent a perfect cross to a well positioned, unmarked Josley in the box but the winger failed to keep his shot on target with an empty goal in front of him.
The last and final scoring opportunity was squandered by the beachside team when Bardez keeper David came with three back-to-back saves as he twice denied Joston from close, while Jayesh Chopdekar’s strike from point-blank range was once again collected by the keeper to give the precious one point to his team after six consecutive losses.
