Mapusa/MARGAO
Penha de Franca SC swamped ICSC Paroda 7-0 in an opening round fixture of the GFA Ist Division League at Duler Stadium, here on Monday.
Penha were right on the money from the word go and enjoyed ball possession for the larger part of the lop-sided game.
Such was the dominance of the Penha outfit in the first half, that their goalkeeper was barely tested.
Penha’s U-20 player, Josley Dias started the goal deluge for the side in the 8th minute when he anticipated well a defence-splitting assist from a centrally placed Ashok Megheri, also U-20, to shoot into the far corner of the nylons a little outside six yards from the left of the inside box. On the 16th minute, Megheri got himself on the scorers’ list when he slotted the ball home from a cross received from Anil Gaonkar, another U-20 player. Three minutes later, Megheri struck again with the ball grazing past a Paroda defender to roll into the nets.Paroda clearly looked lost without a game plan. One clear example came in the 29th minute when Joval Fernandes with the ball at his feet wasted a precious few seconds and allowed the Penha citadel to fall back in line in lieu of advancing with the ball. His ensuing crack at goal was feeble. Hyginus Pereira of Paroda was cautioned in the 33rd minute. Penha at the breather were comfortably up 3-0.
On crossing over, Paroda’s lack of cohesion grew paramount and the game was mainly restricted in their own half. The floodgates were soon to open in the 59th minute, when Penha’s effervescent medio Shubham Malvankar in a deft move of brilliance made a neat pass to Anil Gaonkar advancing up on the right flank who struck towards goal.Paroda goalkeeper Presley Mascarenhas’ block came in the path of Penha’s stocky Sagar Bathkhande who made no mistake. A minute later the lead was inflated to 5-0 in Penha’s favour with Anil Gaonkar slotting home from a Josley Dias pass. On the 64th minute, Anil Gaonkar’s pass to Treyson D’costa was powerfully footed to the top centre of the horizontal which left the Paroda keeper with no chance.Penha were well and truly up 6-0 and the deflated opposition began to fall on their hooves. They deprived a dangerous Ashok Megheri at a chance for a hat-trick when they realised it a good opportunity to test their bench strength and replaced him in the 66th minute in their first substitution. Penha struck their seventh goal in the 83rd minute with their U-20 left winger Josley Dias’ effort saved first by the Paroda ‘keeper and then the far post. But providence fell in the path of the other flank general, Anil Gaonkar who slotted home for a 7-0 scoreline in Penha’s favour.
While groundsmen did duty of ball boys, a crying shame was the absence of a stretcher. Around the 75th minute of play, ICSC Paroda’s central striker, Ibon D’costa had an injury and he lay prostrate for around three minutes. Medical assistance summoned by the on-field referee was not of much help with the need of the hour being a stretcher to move the player off the field as he was writhing in pain. A glance outside the Duler ground at least revealed the standby emergency service of the ambulance present to say the least
Panjim Footballers missed a spate of chances and were held to a goalless draw by United Club of Telaulim (UCT) in the opening match of GFA First Division League at Rosary grounds, Navelim on Monday.
Panjim Footballers mostly from Sporting Under 20 team forced the pace from the start and the duo of Harshad Naik and Perryson Fernandes harried the Telaulim defence. Panjim Footballers had a golden chance to surge ahead in the 9th minute when Myron Fernandes sent a long ball inside the rival penalty box and Alston Camotim shot wide from handshaking distance.Couple of minutes later, Panjim Footballers had another chance to break the deadlock but Alston Camotim balloned over off a well-measured long through pass by Myron Fernandes. Thereafter, Panjim Footballers had Telaulim on the ropes but Perryson Fernandes saw his try miss the target narrowly and later Alston, kept out by Telaulim goalkeeper Ozen Silva. At Government Village School playgrounds, Ambelim,Salgaocar FC defeated Goa Velha Sports Club 2-1. Salgoacar FC led 1-0 at the break. Salgaocar who held edge in the first half broke the deadlock in the 18th minute through Steven Satarkar. Crossing over, Goa Velha fought gallantly and neutralized the lead in the 53rd minute off Joseph Rodrigues. Stung by the equalizer, Salgaocar went into the attacking mode and in the 66th minute , Ronaldo Olveira sealed the rival fate with stiff shot.
