the goan I network
DULER
Salgaocar Football Club trounced Panjim Footballers by a resounding 5-2 margin in their last league match of the Goa Professional League, organised by Goa Football Association, at Duler Stadium, here on Thursday.
Panjim defender Schubert D’Costa scored an own, Clencio Pinto netted a brace, while Nigerian forward Joel Sunday and Brian Mascarenhas scored one each for the Green Brigade. At the other end, Egyptian Fady Riad and Snedden Rodrigues scored the consolation goals for the Panaji side in the second session. After the win, Salgaocar FC finished on 3rd position with 44 points, while Panjim concluded their season at the 9th position with just 19 points.
Panjim, who had drawn with Goan FC in the last league match, saw coach Savio Vaz bring just one change with Congo midfielder Alphonse Shako in the starting XI, whereas Salgaocar coach Norbert Gonsalves made five changes in his starting XI which went down to Goan FC in the previous round match by fielding keeper Nora Fernandes, Clencio Pinto, Rosario Mendes, Saeesh Halarnkar and Brian Mascarenhas.
Early in the match, Panjim created the first potent chance of the tie when their Egyptian midfielder Riad sent a perfect cross to Snedden Rodrigues in the box but the lad failed to keep his header on target. At the other end, Salgaocar surged ahead in the 18th minute when Panjim defender Schubert D’Costa tapped the ball into his own goal while trying to clear Brian’s cross from the left, 1-0. Salgaocar doubled their lead in the 25th minute when Nigerian Yinka Joel Sunday brilliantly assisted Rosario’s long throw-in to Clencio who slotted the ball into the back of the nylons from close to make it 2-0.
In the last five minutes before the breather, the Green Brigade pumped in two quick goals. Nigerian striker Sunday shot past Panjim keeper Gurpreet Singh from close after receiving a perfect low cross from Brian, while in the 42nd minute, Brian who had assisted in the first two goals, added his name to the scorers list with a superb solo effort, 4-0.
On crossing ends, Panjim colts managed to reduce the margin when their Egyptian midfielder Riad scored from a spot kick after Salgaocar’s Nigerian defender Keita Boubacar brought down Panjim striker Snedden in the box to give away the penalty, 4-1. It did not take long for Green Brigade to net in their fifth goal. Clencio netted his brace when he brilliantly dribbled past two defenders in the box and blasted the ball into the back of the nets to make it 5-1.
Salgaocar had two more chances to further increase their lead but Panjim keeper Gurpreet came with excellent saves as he first parried Nigerian striker Sunday’s powerful striker for a corner, while a few minutes later, Mackroy Peixote’s goal-bound shot was pushed for a corner. At the other end, Snedden further reduced the margin with a neat placement after his team-mate Riad had done the spadework, 5-2.
