PANAJI
Substitute Mevan Dias scored a stoppage-time leveller to help Guardian Angel SC salvage a point against Youth Club of Manora after playing a 1-1 draw in the Goa Football Association Selvel Goa Professional League at Duler Stadium, Mapusa, on Thursday.
Nicholas Fernandes had put Manora ahead in the 20th minute and just when it looked like the debutant side in the league would notch their first win, Mevan scored the equaliser in the 90+ 2 minutes for Guardian Angel SC.
Guardian Angel SC came close to scoring from a flag kick when they played a short corner to Kimran Fernandes, who got on his preferred left foot and hit a powerful strike which nearly sneaked in but took a strong touch of the post and went out for a goal kick.
Youth Club of Manora conceded a free-kick outside their box when Micheal Silva fouled Guardian Angel's Basant Singh. Guardian Angel failed to make the best of the free-kick as Gilbert Olivera tried to play his teammate in the box, but his weighted pass went out for a goal kick.
With all the Guardian Angel SC players up for the free-kick, Manora keeper Luis Barreto took a quick goal kick to find Nicholas upfront. James Fernandes failed to deal with Barreto's goal kick which Nicholas controlled and struck from outside of the box to give his side the lead.
Crossing over Guardian Angel came back strongly and pressed their opponents in search of the equaliser. They came very close in the 52nd minute when Beneston Barreto and Jovial Dias connected brilliantly with a one-two passing break into the area. Upon entering the box, Beneston squared the ball back to Jovial who connected brilliantly only to see Luis Barreto pull off an even better save to keep his side's lead intact. The resultant corner was once again wasted by the Curchorem side.
Manora had a chance to double the lead when they attacked from a counter and were awarded a free-kick in the opponent's territory. Nicholas curled in a left-foot floater which found Joywin Carneira, but his header was easily swallowed by the Guardian Angel custodian.
Guardian Angel continued to dominate but couldn't get past the final wall of Manora who did extremely well under-pressure to keep their slender 1-0 lead intact. Substitute Denvil Fernandes tried his luck from a distance when he got the ball on the flank and cut into the area but his left foot shot was dealt by Luis Barreto.
Manora's Nicholas troubled the Guardian Angel defence with his pace and experience. He nearly set the second for his side when he raced down the left flank and got past his marker and tried to send in a cross cum shot in the area but the danger was averted by Pratheesh Veettil.
Substitute Yunal Fernandes had a go at the goal from a distance. But with Luis Barreto in goal, it was always going to be difficult for the Curchorim side.
Guardian Angel finally levelled terms in the stoppage time when Leny Fernandes sent in a lofted pass from the halfway mark which the Manora defender failed to clear. Mevan Dias got at the end of the ball and darted into the area. He took time to get the ball in control and shot past the keeper. Mevan had the chance to bury the game but with just the keeper at his mercy, he failed to guide in a James Fernandes cross from the left.
