the goan I network
DULER
A strong header in the 94th minute by Nigerian defender Kouame Joseph enabled Calangute Association to hold Guardian Angel Sports Club to a 1-1 draw in the Goa Professional League match, organised by Goa Football Association, at Duler Stadium, here on Tuesday.
It was the Nigerians who did the scoring acts for the teams. Nigerian forward Yakubu Mohammed scored in the early second half to give Angel the lead, while in the added-on time it was Nigerian Kouame Joseph, who levelled the terms for the beachside team. After the drawn encounter, Angel continue to be in the third place with 30 points from 19 outings, while Calangute remain on fifth position with 26 points from 19 matches.
Calangute coach Alex Alvares brought in two chances in his starting line-up -- Newton Azavedo and Josley Dias -- after their last league match against Vasco SC. Angel, on the other hand, made only one change to their side which had got the better of Corps of Signals in their last match as Ghanaian striker Abel Hammond was back in the starting XI for the Curchorem side.
It was close misses by both the teams early in the match where in the 4th minute, Calangute’s Bersal Viegas found an unmarked Leslee Britto in front of an empty goal but the forward headed wide from close. At the other end, Angel’s Nigerian striker Yakubu Mohammed failed to keep his header on target from close off Nicholas Rodrigues’ well-taken corner. Calangute had another chance to break the deadlock in the 26th minute when Domnic Fernandes dribbled past a defender and, from the top of the box, sent a fierce shot but the ball travelled over the crossbar.
On resumption of play, both the coaches made two substitutions each and the complexion of the match changed. Angel defender Nicolau Colaco drilled a blistering strike at the rival goal but Calangute keeper Jason D’Mello pushed his shot for a corner with a full-stretched diving save. However, in the 53rd minute, Aslon Oliveira set up Yakubu on top of the penalty box and his power-packed right-footer had no answer from Calangute keeper Jason, 1-0.
Trailing by a goal, Calangute regrouped themselves with Nigerian Kouame Joseph moving upfront to further strengthen the attack. In the 75th minute, a Bersal corner was superbly headed on to the goal by defender Amar Halandakar but the Angel keeper Ram Sroop made a neat collection.
When it looked like the curtains were down for Calangute, a well taken corner by Domnic went to an unmarked Kouame Joseph, who connected his header into the rival goal, where the ball brushed Aslon’s head before landing into the net, 1-1.
