MARGAO
In a dominant display on Wednesday, Navelim Sporting Club triumphed over United Club of Verna with a commanding 3-0 victory to secure their place in the finals of the Cana-Benaulim Inter-Village Football Tournament.
The match, held at the St John de Baptista Football Ground in Benaulim, was organised by the Cana-Benaulim Sporting Association. With an audience of over 800 spectators, both teams displayed impressive effort and skill.
Clifton Rebello of Verna was notable for his relentless efforts, while Ronaldo Pereira of Navelim was equally determined in his contributions. The game saw early action with Nevin Pereira of Verna taking a powerful shot in the 6th minute, narrowly missing the target. In response, a counter-attack from Navelim, led by Venlu Costa, was thwarted by the Verna goalkeeper. Velington Almeida also had a strong attempt saved by Royal Moniz, the Verna keeper.
Despite these close calls, it was Navelim that ultimately shifted the momentum. Venito Costa scored the first goal in the 37th minute, followed by Velington adding another in the 56th minute. In a stroke of misfortune for Verna, a deflected shot from Almeida in the 70th minute resulted in an own goal by Eusebio Fernandes, sealing the 3-0 victory.
Navelim Sporting will now face Guardian Angel SC in the finals, scheduled for August 25.
