MARGAO
Goa suffered a narrow 2-3 defeat to Kerala in the final round of the National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy, at Capital Football Arena in Bhubaneswar on Friday.
Kerala’s Asif OM scored a stoppage-time (90+1') winner to give the defending champions a perfect start in the competition.
Kerala started the game well and even had a chance to score in the 6th minute when Nijo Gilbert entered the penalty box after making a run from the right wing but his shot was parried away by Goan custodian Hansel. Kerala first broke the deadlock in the 27th minute through Nijo Gilbert. They received three yellow cards in the first session with Arjun, Sanju G and Hrishi Dhath all going into the referee’s books. Goa, on the other side, didn’t create many chances in the first 45 minutes. Their only good opportunity in the first half was a cross from defender Nickson, but their striker Trijoy, who was in the box, couldn’t capitalise on it.
In the second half, Goa coach Noberto Gonsalves introduced Clencio Pinto in place of Ganesh Thakur at the break. In the 46th minute, Lloyd took advantage of a blunder from Kerala’s centre-back Ameen but his shot was brilliantly saved by Kerala captain and goalkeeper Midhun. However, just when it looked like Goa would get the breakthrough, Riswanali Edakkavil doubled the account for Kerala in the 57th minute.
Goa fought back and managed to pull back a goal through Mohammed Faheez just at the hour mark. The Goa coach made a couple of changes thereon with Delton Colaco and Akeraj Martins coming on for Trijoy Dias and Lloyd Cardozo.
Goa made it 2-2 in the 73rd minute with Faheez scoring his second of the day as he tapped the ball into the open net after a cut-back from substitute Akeraj. In the final quarter, the Kerala coach introduced fresh legs, bringing on Asif OM, Sachu Siby and John Jose and the move paid off as Aisf managed to score the winner in the stoppage time.
