the goan I network
DULER
A two-goal blitz from Nigerian Yakubu Mohammad enabled Guardian Angel Sports Club register a 2-0 win over Goan Football Club in the Goa Football Association’s Professional League at Duler stadium here on Wednesday.
After today’s victory, Guardian Angel have 33 points from 20 matches to be placed third in the standings, while fifth-positioned Goan FC have 28 points from 17 matches.
After the match was restricted to midfield, it was only in the 22nd minute that Angel came close to breaking the deadlock. Young Gaurs’ Isaac Negerado brought down Nigerian Yakubu Mohammad 25 yards from the goal. The resultant direct free-kick saw a scorching strike by Nicolau Colaco being tipped by goalkeeper Mohammad Nawaz over the crossbar.
Young Gaurs regrouped and in the 28th minute, had the first attempt at the rival goal where a delightful cross at the goal by Saviour Gama was superbly cleared by Angel’s defender Clifton Dias.
In the 37th minute, Liston Colaco’s free-kick was cleared by Angel’s Perryson Rebello for a corner.
Another glorious chance went in vain for Young Gaurs in the 45th minute where a curling strike by Krishna Pandit from the left flank, was parried to safety by Angel’s keeper Ram Sroop.
On resumption of play, with the entry of Abel Hammond for Guardian Angel and Yasir Mohammad for Young Gaurs, the pace of the match accelerated.
Angel caught the Young Gaurs napping when in the 57th minute substitute Abel Hammond sent an intelligent through-pass to his partner Yakubu Mohammad, who stunned the defenders and goalkeeper by scoring from an acute angle.
Two minutes later at the other end, Liston Colaco drilled a low grounder, which was brilliantly pushed for a corner with a full-stretched diving save by Angel’s keeper Ram Sroop.
Young Gaurs went all out in search of the equaliser but it was outstanding defending by Angel’s Nicolau, Sanwil, Allen and Benzu along with goalkeeper Ram Sroop that time and again curtailed the movements of their opponents.
While Young Gaurs did all-out attacking, Angel launched a counter-attack in the 87th minute and Yakubu Mohammad guided the ball into the goal off Clifton Dias’ to make it 2-0.
