Goa Pro League action between FC Goa and Panjim Footballers, on Friday.
Photo Credits: FC Goa
PANAJI
Panjim Footballers inflicted a shock 1-0 defeat on a nine-man FC Goa in the Goa Football Association Selvel Goa Professional League at Duler Stadium, Mapusa, on Friday.
Prasil Kankonkar scored the lone goal for the winners in the 26th minute. FC Goa were reduced to 10 men in the 68th minute after Brison Fernandes was sent off by the referee for unruly behaviour. Brian Faria picked up his second yellow card in the dying minutes of the game as the young Gaurs were reduced to nine men.
Panjim Footballers took a surprise lead in the 26th minute and it came from a howler from goalkeeper Antonio Dylan Da Silva. Vallmiky Miranda ran on the left flank and getting past his marker, flashed a low cross in the box, which the goalkeeper failed to collect and the ball rolled to Prasil, who slammed it into an open net.
Vallmiky then tried his luck from a distance but Antonio pulled off a low diving save. FC Goa didn't have chances in the first session. They were forced to resort to long-range shots in the face of some good defending from Janio Fernandes and Prasil. However, their keeper Preston Rego looked clumsy in goal but was hardly tested by the opponents.
Just before the breather, FC Goa came agonisingly close as Brison Fernandes sent in a lobbed pass to Delton Colaco at the far right. The youngster brilliantly controlled the ball to keep it at his foot and hit a first-time shot which crashed onto the crossbar and went out of play.
In the second half, FC Goa showed the intent to go for the equaliser. They used all strategies with coach Deggie Cardozo also introducing Romeo Fernandes into the game. The Gaurs created a well-crafted move in the 56th minute when Brison sent an inch-perfect pass to Jovito Fernandes, who managed to get past the last man, but Panjim keeper Preston left his line and cleared the ball.
In the 68th minute, FC Goa suffered a big blow when Brison was shown a straight red for getting physical with Vallmiky at the centre. The latter was shown a yellow card.
Vallmiky had another chance when he shot from a distance but his effort took a deflection and went out for a corner. From the resultant corner, Joyson Gauncar connected Akash Sanadi's corner but the header went straight to the keeper.
At the other end, Antonio was quick to leave the area to clear a loose ball, which was chased by Joyson. Meanwhile, Romeo was denied by the crossbar as his freekick from outside the box, beat the wall but didn't find the goal. Panjim's Lloyd was guilty of missing another chance when he was set up in the area by Joyson, but the first-named shot wide.
Romeo's comeback to top-level football seemed to have suffered a huge blow when the winger had to be stretchered off after picking up a probable hamstring injury. FC Goa were further reduced to nine men as Brian Faria was sent off late in the game with a second booking after he tripped Krishna outside the box.
