the goan I network
MARGAO
An 81st minute strike by promising striker Sanket Jotkar sealed a vital 2-1 win for St Savio Sports Club, Calangute over Salgaocar FC in the Geno GFA First Division League at SAG Artificial Turf, Fatorda on Wednesday. St Savio led 1-0 at the breather.
Salgaocar Colts started the game on a positive note and had a wonderful opportunity to take the lead when midfielder Arif Pathan made a good attempt at goal but rival goalkeeper Dietmar Fernandes brought up a superb save to deny him a sure goal. At the other end, St Savio took time to settle down and came close to breaking the deadlock but striker Rohan Pednekar’s shot hit the crossbar much to the dismay of Calangute supporters.
St Savio’s breakthrough came in the 42nd minute when striker Shashank Naik’s well executed free kick eluded the rival goalkeeper Dipanjan Debnath to put his team in front. Both sides continued to create chances after the change of ends but were not precise with their finishing throughout the game.
Salgaocar colts came back into the game in the 48th minute when Arif Pathan’s free kick saw St Savio goalkeeper Dietmar Ferandes parry away the ball and it travelled to striker Ronaldo Olveira, whose snap shot again forced a save from the Calangute goalkeeper but the ball popped out of the keeper’s hands and a lurking Selwyn Miranda punted the ball in to put the teams on equal terms. Stunned by the equaliser, St Savio went into attacking mode and finally promising striker Sanket Jotkar outwitted a couple of rival defenders and after picking up the ball from Suraj Kauthankar beat the rival goalkeeper with a clinical finish in the 81st minute. Ronaldo Olveira continued to hunt for Salgaocar Colts’ equaliser but his try was well blocked by St Savio goalkeeper.
St Savio had a chance to increase their tally but Sanket Jotkar’s try blew over the crossbar. Salgaocar Colts had a chance to level the scores in the injury time when Ronaldo Olveira floated the ball inside the rival penalty box and striker Stephen Satarkar leapt high to head the ball in. However, St Savio goalkeeper Dietmar Fernandes rose to the ocassion to palm away the ball to safety.
The win takes St Savio Sports Club’s tally to 21 points from 9 matches while Salgaocar stay on 10 points from
4 matches.
