the goan I network
DULER
Stephen Satarkar’s brilliant hat-trick enabled Salgaocar Football Club register a 4-1 win over Vasco Sports Club in the Goa Professional League organised by GFA played at Duler stadium here
on Tuesday.
Before the start of the match, one minute silence was observed for the departed soul of former chief minister Manohar Parrikar. In the first leg meeting, Salgaocar had got the better of their opponents by a 2-0 margin. After the victory Salgaocar FC now have 35 points from 16 matches, while Vasco SC stay on 27 points from 21 matches.
In the very 5th minute, Vasco could have stunned their opponents after a defensive error committed by keeper Jason D’Mello and defender Saurabh Patel as the ball landed at the feet of Shubham Dessai, who to the dismay of his team-mates, lobbed the ball over the crossbar.
After the play being restricted to midfield for the next quarter of the match, a blistering 25-yard strike by Salgaocar’s Devendra Murgaonkar banged the upright and was then collected by Vasco keeper Sanju Thapa. At the other end, a perfect cross by Nigerian Penn Orji was controlled by Rugved Yeole inside the penalty box but the latter failed to keep his strike on target.
In the 31st minute, Salgaocar’s Devendra played an intelligent one-two with Ronaldo Oliveira but shot out from close. Just two minutes later, Salgaocar keeper Jason made a stunning save as he punched the ball for a corner to deny Shubham Dessai after he had taken a shot from inside the penalty box.
The Green Brigade finally broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute where a stinging right-footer by Ronaldo Oliveira left the rival keeper rooted to the ground as the ball hit the side goal post before entering the goal, 1-0.
On crossing over, the Green Brigade almost netted in their second goal in the 50th minute, where a pinpoint cross by skipper Godfrey Mascarenhas was superbly headed at the goal by Devendra Murgaonkar. However, the attempt was brilliantly tipped over the post by keeper Sanju.
But the keeper could do very little to stop Green Brigade doubling their lead when in the 52nd minute, Godfrey once again sent a cross from the right flank inside the penalty box to a well positioned Stephen Satarkar, who intelligently flicked the ball past Sanju 2-0.
It did not take long for the Green Brigade to score their third goal, when Chaitan Komarpant darted inside the penalty box from the left flank and sent a square pass to Stephen who stabbed the ball into the goal, 3-0. Just three minutes later, Stephen Satarkar completed his hat-trick by latching onto a right-footer off a cross by
Ronaldo, 4-0.
If not for the heroics from Port Towners keeper Sanju, Salgaocar would have netted their fifth goal where Devendra was thwarted by the keeper in a one-to-one situation. Vasco did try to get back into the match in the 84th minute but a stiff grounder by Sanwil D’Costa from top of the penalty box was excellently pushed for a corner by keeper Jason with a full stretched diving save.
The Port Towners finally brought some smiles on the faces of their team-mates and supporters as Moises D’Sa tapped the ball past keeper Jason off Rugved Yeole’s cross inside the 6-yard box, 4-1.
