Ten-man Cortalim earn gritty draw; Flaming Oranje cruise
Goa Pro League action on Sunday.
PANAJI
Cortalim Villagers produced a disciplined and resilient display to hold Clube de Salgaocar to a 0–0 draw in a fiercely contested Goa Professional League clash that unfolded more as a battle of endurance than elegance.
The match struggled to find rhythm from the outset, disrupted by a spate of early injuries that halted momentum within the opening ten minutes. With play repeatedly broken, both sides found it difficult to establish fluency, though intent remained clear at both ends. The physical edge surfaced quickly, with Sidney Lucas cautioned in the 11th minute for a late challenge on Pratesh Shirodkar, before Wendell Coelho followed him into the book seven minutes later after bringing down Airen Fernandes.
Despite the stop-start nature of proceedings, Salgaocar began to apply sustained pressure, probing through the flanks and pushing bodies forward, while Cortalim relied on compact defensive organisation and quick counter transitions. Salgaocar came closest before the interval when goalkeeper Mohammad Totad momentarily spilled a routine take under pressure, gifting Cortalim a fleeting opening that went begging. Isac Zomuanpuia found space inside the area and unleashed a sharp effort, only for Cortalim custodian Passang Sherpa to produce a superb reflex save to preserve parity.
The complexion of the contest shifted decisively in the 55th minute when Cortalim were reduced to ten men. Sidney Lucas received his second yellow card following a reckless challenge on Denil Rebello, forcing the hosts into a rearguard action for the remainder of the contest. Salgaocar responded by tightening their grip on possession and pinning Cortalim deeper inside their own half, but Cortalim’s backline held firm under sustained pressure, throwing bodies into blocks and intercepting crosses with unwavering resolve. Despite Salgaocar’s territorial dominance and numerical advantage, Cortalim’s disciplined defensive structure denied them a breakthrough, ensuring the points were shared after a physically demanding ninety minutes.
In the second match, Sporting Clube de Goa produced a composed second-half performance to register a 3–0 win over Chapora Yuvak Sangh, turning sustained pressure into goals after a tense and scoreless first half.
The opening exchanges were lively, with both sides pressing high. The Chapora goalkeeper was called into action early, making a couple of sharp interventions to deny Sporting from close range. As the half wore on, Sporting began to assert greater control in possession, pinning Chapora back and winning a series of corners, but Chapora’s defensive shape held firm.
Sporting were handed a golden opportunity in the 32nd minute when a Chapora defender was penalised for pulling down a forward on the edge of the box, resulting in a penalty. The spot-kick struck the side bar and went out, allowing Chapora a reprieve as the sides went into the break level.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 68th minute when Rohan Rodrigues unleashed a powerful long-range strike to give Sporting a deserved lead. Two minutes later, Joyson Gauncar doubled the advantage with a calm finish inside the box before completing his brace moments later with a composed effort into an empty net, sealing a commanding 3–0 victory.
