United Club of Telaulim (UCT) had almost secured victory, but Panchwadi United Sports Club striker Agnelo Colaco decided to rewrite the script at the death with an 86th minute equaliser to eke out a 2-2 draw
The Goan Network
Margao
United Club of Telaulim (UCT) had almost secured victory, but Panchwadi United Sports Club striker Agnelo Colaco decided to rewrite the script at the death with an 86th minute equaliser to eke out a 2-2 draw in the GFA's First Division League at Panchayat grounds, Raia on Thursday. UCT led 1-0 at half time.
UCT started the game on an attacking note and created umpteen openings and had a couple of scoring opportunities but striker Necel Pinto was the worst offender as he alone muffed three sitters. Panchawadi took time to settle down and once they struck rhythm, they called the shots against the rival citadel. They had two scoring chances but Paxton Gomes and Cliffton Rebello spurned the chances. UCT dominated the better part of the game and in the 19th minute, UCT broke the deadlock when hardworking midfielder Jaison Pereira found lanky striker Necel Pinto free inside the rival penalty box and the last named punted the ball to the far corner of the net.
Spurred by the success, UCT upped the ante and had a chance to double the lead but midfielder Jaison shot wide from hand shaking distance. Panchwadi pressed hard for the equaliser but rival defence marshalled by Manfred Rodrigues did allow the rival attackers to navigate inside their penalty box.
Post resumption, UCT continued to enjoy the better share of exchanges and came close to scoring the insurance goal but Panchwadi goalkeeper Ashish Betodekar came to his side's rescue by blocking Jaison's hot-blooded shot.
Panchwadi levelled the score in the 63rd minute through Avino da Costa. Following a flag kick taken by Cliff Baretto, Telaulim goalkeeper Cleton Gomes misjudged the flight of the ball and Avino Da Costa headed home.
Buoyed by the equaliser, Panchwadi intensfied their attacks and nearly made it 2-1 but Agnelo Colaco failed to beat the rival goalkeeper when the Telaulim defence was caught napping. Telaulim regained the lead in the 74th minute when striker Necel beat the rival goalkeeper with a clinical finish off a pass from Sandy Colaco to register his brace. The goal enlivened Telaulim to mount pressure on the rival goal and two minutes later, Panchwadi goalkeeper Ashish Betodkar came out of his position and averted the danger by picking up the ball from substitute Alvito Colaco's feet off a pass from Necel. But just when all seemed over, Agnelo Colaco picked up the ball from the flanks and volleyed home brilliantly after hitting the rival goalkeeper's hand in the 86th minute.
Telaulim had a golden chance to romp home when substitute Succoro Fernandes muffed a sitter off a pass from Alvito in the injury time by shooting wide from a good position.
With this draw, Telaulim collected four points from two matches while Panchwadi have 1 point from the same encounter. At 3MTR grounds, Navelim, Corps of Signals came from behind to hold Goa Police to a 1-1 draw.
Signals dominated the game in both the halves. However, it was Goa Police who took the lead in the 36th minute through the boots of Abdul Khan. Crossing over, Signals had umpteen scoring chances but their forwards squandered easy sitters. After a series of misses, Signals cancelled the lead in the 55th minute off Lairellakpam Singh.
