MAPUSA
In a top of the table encounter, Penha de France SC and Corps of Signals played out an exciting draw in the GFA First Division League, at Duler Stadium, Mapusa.
With both teams going into the match tied at the top with 16 points from seven matches, with five wins, a draw, a loss apiece and a similar goal difference of 16-4, the tie promised to be an evenly contested. And the script went according to plan on Monday with a thrilling end-to-end game with both teams showcasing a pacy flair to take the attack to the opposition.
It was the Corps of Signals who had their first scoring opportunity as early as the second minute. A curling free kick taken by L Solomon was smartly parried away by the Penha custodian, Adney Fernandes back into play with one of the defenders at bay making the clearance. In the seventh minute, Penha countered with a good attempt by their U-20 player Ashok Megheri whose rasping footer sailed a few inches over the crossbar.
The military men came close to scoring again in the 16th minute when their U-20 striker Lairellakpam Singh missed a one-on-one chance with the rival goalie off a corner kick. Couple of minutes later, the Penha striker Denzil Sequeira, among the leading goal-scorers in the ongoing league, missed out with his shot going over the crossbar. The session told a story of gilt-edged chances go a begging time and again from either side.
Post resumption, each side looked to take the upper hand and the Corps of Signals outfit strikeforce was well backed by a few hundred supporters seated in the opposition’s half egging their team on to break the deadlock. But the advantage for the Navelim-based military side of having a 12th man in a spirited 90-minute crowd support was negated by obdurate resilience from the Penha de France’s back wall with their frontline falling back to rescue oft and again.
A little over an hour mark into the game, off their under-20 player Sanwil D’Costa’s spot kick, Penha’s star playmaker Joston Pereira tried an adventurous header with his back to the goal but it missed the target. Few minutes later, it was the turn of another U-20 player, Harshad Thube of the Corps outfit to raid into the danger zone but the attack was contained by the rival captain, Swanand Naik.
As the game wore into the dying minutes, there were a few more edge-of the seat moments with Ashok Megheri of Penha failing to collect a well-directed cross from Joston close to goal, and then minutes later, Corps’ Panom Thakur squandering a chance to score from a hand-shaking distance. What buried the hatchet and the story was another miss; when the Corps’ robust substitute, Lalruatfela sent a powerful footer over the goal from long range immediately after coming on in the 81st minute.
RESULT
PENHA DE FRANCE 0 drew with CORPS OF SIGNALS 0
