MARGAO
Sporting Clube de Goa defeated Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim 2-1 in the GFA Pro League at Rosary Ground, Navelim on Sunday. The Flaming Oranje led 1-0 at the breather.
Sporting Clube started the game brightly as they instinctively went on the attack and broke the deadlock in the 12th minute when midfielder Ganesh Thakur, from the right flank, found Nigerian striker Odafa Okolie at the right place and the latter turned around and unleashed a snap shot to beat the Cavelossim goalkeepeer Rama Sarop.
Stung by that setbck, the young and spirited Cavelossim team attacked with vigour and came close to leveling the scores but striker Marcus Fernandes muffed an open chance with only the Flaming Oranje goalkeeper Kamaljit Singh to beat and shot wide. A few minutes later, Kamaljit Singh came to his side's rescue when he palmed away a rasping shot from Melwin Fernandes for an abortive flag kick.
The Flaming Oranje were not allowed to knit passes easily but had a couple of scoring opportunities to increase their tally but Odafa Okolie and Marcus Mascarenhas frittered away easy chances. Sporting Clube had a golden chance to inflate their tally but Ganesh Thakur faltered at crucial moment after Quan Gomes laid him a long through pass.
In the injury time of the first session, Sporting Clube came up with their counter attacks as Odafa sent a defence-splitting pass to striker Marcus Mascarenhas but the latter failed to beat the Cavelossim goalkeeper.
The second half was more intense and entertaining. Sporrting Clube doubled their lead in the 52nd minute when Odafa found Marcus free on the flanks and the last named beat the Cavelossim goalkeeper Ramp Sarop with an angular shot. The Cavelossim lads had a golden chance to reduce the deficit midway in the second half. Rayman Fernandes' free kick saw substitute striker Joshua Vaz flick the ball inside the rival penalty box but captain Marcus Fernandes could not captialise on an easy chance.
Thereafter Sporting Clube defenders had a tough time in containing the rival attackers. Cavelossim had a chance to reduce the margin but captain Mario Mascarenhas was the offender as he headed out a chance to score an open goal, off a good floater sent in by Ashley Fernandes.
At the other end, Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim goalkeeper Ram Srop denied Nigerian substitute Ndidi Chukuwma as he parried away an abortive flag kick after Odafa laid him a superb pass, late in the second half. In the added-on time, Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim reduced the margin through the boots of Marcus Fernandes.
With this win, Sporting Clube collected 23 points from 11 matches while Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim stay on 13 points from 11 matches.
RESULT
Sporting Clube de Goa 2 (Odafa Okolie 12, Marcus Mascarenhas 52) beat Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim 1 (Marcus Fernandes 90+)
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Blurb
Sporting Clube started the game brightly as they instinctively went on the attack and broke the deadlock in the 12th minute when midfielder Ganesh Thakur, from the right flank, found Nigerian striker Odafa Okolie at the right place and the latter turned around and unleashed a snap shot to beat the Cavelossim goalkeepeer Rama Sarop
