the goan I network
DULER
Panjim Footballers Sports Club registered a hard-fought 1-0 win over Calangute Association in a Goa Professional League match organised by GFA at Duler stadium, here on Thursday.
Panjim Footballers coach Francisco Vaz had guided his team to their first win in the ongoing league against Corps of Signals in their last match but made four changes to his starting XI by fielding Samson Simoes, Gopi Gad, Snedden Rodrigues and Mahesh Kumar. At the other end, Calangute Association -- who had lost against Vasco Sports Club -- saw their coach Agostinho Dias make five changes in the team’s starting XI by playing Mohammad Shahsad, Jayganesh Goltekar, Yatin Gothankar, and U-20 players Akash Sanadi and Malik Mulla.
The all important goal for Panjim Footballers came from the boots of Daryl Costa (74th min) to give the capital side their second win. Panjim Footballers have 11 points from 14 matches while Calangute Association have 7 points from 12 matches.
The first session was mostly restricted to midfield play, though Calangute Association came close to scoring twice. In the 32nd minute, defender Gaurav Vaigankar sent a long ball inside the penalty box to Sachidanand Satelkar, who dribbled past Panjim defender Kunal Kundaikar and latched on a power-packed left-footer which was brilliantly blocked by keeper Sherwin Da Cunha from close. Just a minute before the end of the first session, Sachidanand once again darted inside the penalty box and drilled a fierce shot which however travelled wide.
On crossing over, the Panjim colts were a completely transformed unit as they came up with a series of attacks on the rival citadel. In the very 3rd minute after the break, Mahesh Kumar saw his strike from just inside the penalty box hit Calangute defender for a corner, while in the 60th minute, a Snedden Rodrigues header landed straight into the waiting hands of keeper Sanij Bugde, who was again forced into action to push a fierce shot by Snedden at the first post for a corner.
The capital side almost tasted success in the 68th minute when Snedden sent a brilliant cross to Daryl Costa just on top of the 6-yard box but the latter’s strike brushed a defender’s leg for a corner.
Finally in the 74th minute, the Panjim colts surged ahead. An intelligent floater by Snedden inside the penalty box was superbly finished by Daryl with a delightful lob over the onrushing Calangute keeper, 1-0.
