the goan I network
DULER
Vasco Sports Club played gallantly to register a well deserved 4-2 win over Panjim Footballers in the Goa Professional League match, organised by Goa Football Association, at Duler Stadium, here on Thursday.
The highlight of the match was a brilliant hat-trick by Franky Oliveiro, while Micky Fernandes netted the other goal for Vasco. Egyptian Fady Riad scored a brace for the Panjim colts. After the win, Vasco climbed to the 7th position with 20 points from 19 matches, while Panjim continued at the 10th position with 15 points from
18 matches.
Panjim coach Savio Vaz brought three changes -- Paulo Joao, Chandan Gawas and Prisco Moura -- to his side which lost to Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim in the last match, whereas Vasco in-charge Eban Mesquita brought back Flan Gomes and Micky Fernandes in the starting XI, following their defeat at the hands of Calangute Association in the previous round match.
In the very 2nd minute, Panjim colts had a chance to take the lead when an unmarked Paulo Joao failed to keep his header inside the goal framework off a neat corner by Sachidanand Satelkar. Though the Capital city side held the upper hand, they failed to score. In the 19th minute, Vasco managed to break the deadlock when an unmarked Franky Oliveiro made no mistake to smartly head the ball home off Flan’s pin-point cross from the left to put Vasco into the
lead, 1-0.
Pepped up by the goal, the Port Towners tried to control the match with better ball possession and number of attacks on the opponents but Panjim keeper Gurpreet Singh managed to hold the fort. At the other end, Panjim coach brought in Egyptian midfielder Fady Riad by replacing Sachidanand, but the move did not have much of
an impact.
On crossing ends, Vasco doubled their lead in the 46th minute through Franky. Flan snatched the ball from Panjim defender Paulo and released it to Franky, who covered some ground and brilliantly shot past Panjim keeper Gurpreet from just inside the box, 2-0. After just five minutes more, Micky put Vasco on the driver’s seat when his powerful grounder from the left flank entered the far post to make it 3-0 for the Port Towners.
It did not take long for the Port Towners to net in their fourth goal. Franky completed his hat-trick as the striker, getting hold of a through pass from Deryl Endro, easily cut past Panjim keeper Gurpreet and scored, 4-0. Panjim Footballers tried to come back into the match but were a bit too late. Substitute Fady reduced the margin for Panjim in the 63rd minute when he easily cut past Vasco defenders and shot past keeper Suresh Lamani from close.
In the 78th minute, Vasco substitute Stephen Colaco -- who had replaced hat-trick hero Franky -- had a chance to score from his first touch but the striker’s shot was brilliantly blocked by
keeper Gurpreet.
In the 85th minute Fady, scored his brace when he headed in from close off Clifton Fernandes’ cross to make it 4-2 for the Capital city side.
PLAYING TODAY
Calangute Association vs FC Bardez, Duler Stadium, 4 pm
