the goan I network
DULER
A 60th minute header from substitute Ashok Megheri enabled Calangute Association to secure a hard-fought 1-0 win over Panjim Footballers in the Goa Professional League, organised by Goa Football Association, at Duler Stadium, here on Sunday.
After the crucial win, Calangute climbed to the 5th position with 22 points from 17 outings, while Panjim Footballers are struggling in the relegation zone with just 15 points from 16 matches.
For the beachside team, coach Alex Alvares brought back Domnic Fernandes in the starting line-up after having drawn their last match against FC Bardez, while Panjim Footballers coach Savio Vaz brought Kunal Kundaikar and Sachidanand Satelkar in the starting XI after they were held by Vasco SC in a 1-1 draw.
Calangute came threatening at the rival box and could have scored in the 30th second when Josley Dias collected the loose ball just outside the box and drove a blistering shot which went just over the horizontal bar. Calangute colts continued on their domination for the next 20 minutes of the match with the beachside team coming with a series of attacks on the rival citadel.
Josley set up Joston Pereira right inside the penalty box, and the latter had just the keeper to beat but the midfielder fumbled. Few minutes later, they had another open chance when their U-20 winger Leslee Britto sent a diagonal pass to Omkar Satelkar in the box but his shot was brilliantly blocked by Panjim custodian Gurpreet Singh to keep the slate clean.
In the entire first session Panjim had only one chance to take the lead, when in the 28th minute Israeli midfielder Fady Riad superbly curled the ball to Sachidanand in the box, but the winger failed to control the ball and Calangute keeper Jason D’Mello collected the ball.
On crossing over, it was lacklustre soccer with play being restricted mostly to midfield with the keepers from both the sides being hardly tested. Action was seen only in the 60th minute, when Calangute surged ahead through a strike by substitute Ashok Megheri, who beat the rival defenders in the air to head the ball in the nets off U-20 Leslee’s cross, 1-0.
Calangute though had better of the ball possession yet they failed to score any more goals. At the other end, Panjim colts tried their best to wipe out the one-goal deficit but Calangute defence marshalled by Amar Halankar and Kouame Joseph gave very little space for striker Akeraj Martins to have a clear look at the goal. With the final hooter, the beachside team confirmed all three points from the match.
PLAYING TODAY
FC Bardez vs Churchill Brothers SC, Duler, 4 pm
