the goan I network
DULER
Sporting Clube de Goa registered a fluent 3-1 win over holders Football Club of Goa to go top of the league table in the Goa Professional League, in a match played at Duler Stadium, here on Sunday.
After this win, Sporting are leading the table with 25 points from 14 matches, while FC Goa are placed fourth with 23 points from 13 outings. The Flaming Oranje’s Akeraj Martin netted a brace, while George D’Souza was the other scorer. Aaren D’Silva scored the lone goal for the junior Gaurs.
After their disappointing last match defeat to Salgaocar FC, Sporting coach Savio Vaz made six changes in his starting XI as he fielded U-20 keeper Akshat Hadkonkar, Dattaraj Gaonkar, Girish Naik, Brendon Gomes, Assumption Soares and Akeraj Martins, while at the other end, forward Lalnuntluanga Bawitlung was the only change in the FC Goa side which had earned full points with an easy 3-1 win over Corps of Signals in their last match.
Both the teams played attacking football right from the kick-off but it was Flaming Oranje that broke the deadlock by scoring in the 19th minute of play, where their free kick specialist George D’Souza directly sent his 35-yard shot into the back of the nylons, 1-0.
The Flaming Orange secured another free-kick in the 30th minute when their midfielder Gautam Dias sent an intelligent through pass to Marcus Mascarenhas but FC Goa left-back Serineo Fernandes brought him down at the edge of the box. However this time, a free-kick from George travelled wide of the mark.
However nine minutes later, the Flaming Oranje consolidated their lead as Marcus snatched the ball from an FC Goa defender and set up the ball to Akeraj who drilled the ball at the goal which brushed keeper Dylan Da Silva’s gloves before the ball entered the goal, 2-0.
Trailing by two goals, FC Goa coach Derick Pereira brought on striker Lalawmpuia from the bench, replacing medio Sezwin Fernandes in the early part of the second session. The move paid dividends as Lalawmpuia set up Serineo on the left flank, where the latter curled the ball to Aaren D’Silva inside the penalty box, who finished it into the goal with a smart header, 2-1.
FC Goa received a jolt in the 64th minute with the sending off of forward Lalnuntluanga. The latter was booked by referee Prasad Surlakar for pulling Akeraj Martins and the forward showed dissent towards the referee’s decision. The referee flashed him a second yellow card to reduce the young Gaurs to 10 men.
As the match progressed, both the coaches were cautioned by the referee for verbal disputes from their technical area. With the one-man advantage, Sporting netted in their third goal as a fine cross by substitute Stendly Fernandes was superbly chested down in the goal by Akeraj and he made it 3-1.
In the closing stages of the match, the teams had a chance each to score. Marcus after dribbling past a defender at the edge of the box, latched onto a right-footer but FC Goa custodian Dylan stretched to his limit to push the ball for a corner. A few minutes later, Sporting keeper Akshat came to his team’s rescue as he brilliantly parried Serineo’s goal-bound attempt for a corner.
