MARGAO: FC Siolim booked their place in the semifinals of the 53rd Custodio Memorial Football Tournament after defeating Dunes SC Mandrem 4-2 in a penalty shootout following a goalless draw at the Panchayat Ground on Saturday.
Dunes SC Mandrem came close to opening the scoring as early as the seventh minute when Arun Naik found himself in a promising position, only to miss the target. FC Siolim responded with sustained attacking pressure, with Sahil Pomburbekar wasting a gilt-edged chance in the 35th minute.
Just before the break, Santosh Pujari of Mandrem tried his luck with a powerful long-range effort in the 43rd minute, but the shot sailed over the Siolim goal.
The second half also saw both sides searching for the elusive opener. Vivek Naik nearly produced a spectacular goal with an acrobatic bicycle kick, but the effort failed to find the target, ensuring the match remained scoreless at the final whistle.
The contest was eventually decided from the penalty spot, where FC Siolim held their nerve to prevail 4-2 and seal a place in the last four.
Vivek Pinheiro was the chief guest for the match and later presented the Man of the Match award to FC Siolim's Prajot Phadte for his impressive performance.
