the goan I network
DULER
Sesa Football Academy went down fighting to Panjim Footballers by 3-4 margin in their own den at Sirsaim ground in the ninth round match of the GFA’s Professional League match played on Sunday.
Panjim Footballers went into the breather with a three-goal lead, with Chandan Gawas and Llyod Cardozo netting a brace. Changing ends Joyson netted Panjim’s fourth goal, while Richard Cardozo and Stephen Colaco (2) were the scorers for Sesa FA.
After a midfield tussle, Panjim Footballers surged ahead in the 18th minute when Chandan Gawas controlled the ball after receiving a cross from Alston Camotio and slammed it past the Sesa keeper, 1-0.
Sesa should have equalised in the 32nd minute from a strike by Shajam but the effort was brilliantly saved by Panjim’s keeper Preston Rego.
As the match progressed, the Panjim lads scored two quick goals, in the 36th and 38th minute of play. Panjim’s strike Llyod Cardozo made a solo run breaking the offisde trap and beat the onrushing Sesa keeper with an intelligent chip, 2-0.
It did not take long for Panjim to net another as Llyod scored his brace as he collected a cross from Chandan Gawas and scored, 3-0. In the closing moments before the break, Sesa had two chances to reduce the margin but in the 40th minute, a chip by Ben Johnson hit the side post while in the 44th minute, Sesa’s Olvin set up Richard whose effort missed the target narrowly.
Having a mountain to climb crossing over, Sesa’s coach brought in Kunal Salgaonkar -- replacing Ben Johnson -- and the side saw a transformation in their attacking game. In the 52nd minute, Sesa scored through Richard who was well assisted by substitute Kunal, 3-1. However Panjim netted in their fourth goal through Joyson who scored off the keeper’s rebound, 4-1.
However the Sesa lads didn’t give up, and through their persistence scored their second goal in the 67th minute, as Stephen Colaco scored from a long-ranger, 4-2. Pepped up by the goal, Sesa made a series of attacks in the last ten minutes of the match. The academy lads went close but Myran’s header was collected by keeper Preston while Melvin Lobo’s header travelled just past the side post. Finally in the 90th minute, Sesa found the back of the net when Stephen Colaco netted his brace with a long-ranger, 4-3.
