Panaji
The Mormugao lads led 1-0 at the break. Sai Avatar started in the right earnest and raided the Mormugao area in the 13th, 15th and 21st minute with their forwards Pawan Dhargalkar, Nilesh Shirodkar and Samuel D'Souza missing sitters. At the fag end of the first half, Mormugao went into the lead as Syrus Moura scored off a pass from Sushant Borkar in the 32nd minute (1-0).After change of ends, Sai Avatar started with renewed ideas and forced the Mormugao defence to fall back. In the 48th minute, Sushant Borkar of Mormugao passed to Syrus and the latter's try was beautifully saved by Sai goalkeeper Somu Korgaonkar. Four minutes later the crossbar came to the rescue of Sai Avatar as a powerful shot by Romil Azavedo got deflected back into play which was cleared in the nick of time by Sai defender Remi Dias.
In the counter attack, Samuel D'Souza's solo effort at the Mormugao goal was stopped by Seby Fernandes before any damage could be done. Goaded by this attempt, Sai lads kept on attacking and raiding the Mormugao area but could not convert their tries into goals. In the dying minutes, substitute Beevan Fernandes took advantage of an advancing Sai keeper Somu Korgaonkar and after accepting a cross pass from Sushant, the former scored in the open goal (2-0). Pawan Dhargalkar of Sai Avatar was awarded man of the match at the hands of Saifulla Khan, Councillor, MMC, who was the chief guest.
Holy Cross trounce Betalbatim 3-0
On Friday, Holy Cross Arambol marched into the quarter-finals with a win 3-0 win over Betalbatim. Holy Cross led 1-0 at the lemon-break. Holy Cross started in a whirlwind style and in the very first minute Kritesh Gadekar's shot sailed inches over the bar. In the 3rd minute, after a solo effort, hardworking Hari Parab shot home (1-0) past a bewildered Betalbatim keeper Gladson Fernandes.
Thereafter, Kritesh Gadekar missed again to increase the lead in the very next minute as his power-packed try hit the upright. After change of ends, prolific Stepilton Fernades increased the lead (2-0) in the 9th minute after Kritesh Gadekar and Hari Parab had done the spade work. Betalbatim's Jonathan Miranda, Bonny Fernandes, and Frazier Rogtao effected stray raids but they were thwarted by the tough defence of Arambol. In the dying minutes, substitute completed the tally 3-0.
Betalbatim's Harminger Fernades was awarded the man of the match at the hands of chief guest, Leo Rodrigues.
