MARGAO: Hosts St Sebastian UC Benaulim began their campaign in style, registering a convincing 3-0 victory over Varca Sports Club in the inaugural match of their football tournament at the St John the Baptist Dando Panchayat Ground, Benaulim.
The hosts dominated proceedings from the outset, controlling the midfield through the impressive combination of Faisal and Vishal. Their superiority was rewarded in the 15th minute when Arif Pathan broke the deadlock with a well-taken finish. Five minutes later, Pathan struck again to complete his brace and hand Benaulim a comfortable 2-0 lead at the interval.
Benaulim maintained the momentum after the restart, with Keegan finding the net early in the second half to put the result beyond doubt.
Varca Sports Club attempted to mount a comeback, but the Benaulim defence, marshalled by Jolly and Ashton, stood firm throughout. Goalkeeper Tino Fernandes also played a key role, pulling off a series of excellent saves to keep a clean sheet.
