THE GOAN NETWORK
Margao
Calangute Veterans secured the final semifinal berth in the 23rd All Goa Veterans Football Tournament with a narrow 1“0 win over Siolim Veterans in a thrilling contest held at Per Seraulim Ground on Thursday.
The match featured a host of former Goan football stalwarts, with Robert Fernandes and Markus Carvalho pulling strings in midfield for their respective teams. The decisive moment came just before halftime when Agustin rose above the Siolim defense to head home a powerful goal from a corner, giving Calangute the lead.
Siolim’s hopes of a comeback suffered a blow when their goalkeeper was shown a red card for handling the ball outside the box. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Siolim pushed forward with determination, led by Markus Carvalho and Rafiq Bepari, who created multiple scoring opportunities.
However, Calangute goalkeeper Fausto stood tall, pulling off a series of important saves to preserve his side’s slim advantage. The closing minutes saw Siolim piling on the pressure, but slippery ground conditions and missed chances denied them the equalizer.
At the final whistle, it was Calangute Veterans who celebrated a hard-earned victory, progressing to the semifinals, while Siolim were left to reflect on missed chances and what could have been.
