MARGAO
Crowd pullers Nerul Sports Club won the 15th London Trophy inter-village football tournament organised by Goa Velha Sports Club. They beat hot favourites Ambelim Sports Club 6-5 via sudden death tiebreaker after a thrilling final at Goa Velha Ground.
Ambelim squandered an opportunity to surge ahead in the fourth minute as Leister Fernandes blasted over the bar off a Vishal Araker cross. Nerul keeper Krupesh Bandodkar made a good save in the 10th minute to foil Semson Fernandes' effort off a Velroid Fernandes cross from the right wing. Nerul retaliated but Deu Sangelkar failed to keep his shot on target off an Aniket Agarwadekar pass in the 14th minute. Ransley Gonsalves of Nerul failed to get past the Ambelim keeper after receiving a defence-splitting pass from Deu in the 33rd minute. At half time, the teams were locked goalless.
In the second half, Vishal Araker of Ambelim blasted over the Nerul goal after a goalmouth melee in the 40th minute. At the other end, Deepraj Sangelkar saw his effort being put out for a corner by the Ambelim keeper in the 46th minute. Towards the end of the match, Nerul failed to convert through Deu, who shot wide from close range off an Atul More cross. The match ended goalless at full-time.
In the tiebreaker, Nerul scored through Aniket Agarwadekar, Akash Banaulikar, Prajot Shirodkar, Chaitan Dabholkar, Sainath Kalangutkar and Deu Sangelkar. The tries by Atul More and Deepraj Sangelkar were saved by the Ambelim keeper. Ambelim converted through Perryson Fernandes, Asfin Pinto, Leister Fernandes, Ozen Silva and Steno Rebello. The efforts by Vishal Araker and Semson Fernandes were saved by the Nerul keeper while Arvind Fernandes shot wide.
Individual prizes sponsored by Stanley Lopes were awarded to: First Scorer of the Final - Aniket Agarwadekar (Nerul Sports Club), Best Goalkeeper of the Final - Zen Silva (Ambelim Sports Club), Best Defender of the Final - Akash Banaulikar (Nerul Sports Club), Best Midfielder of the Final - Perryson Fernandes (Ambelim Sports Club), Best Forward of the Final - Asfin Pinto (Ambelim Sports Club), Man of the Match - Krupesh Bandodkar (Nerul Sports Club), Player of the Tournament - Charnel Fernandes (Saligao United).
Sports Minister Govind Gaude gave away the winners' prize of Rs 80,000 and a trophy while local MLA Viresh Borkar presented the runners-up prize of Rs 60,000 and a trophy in the presence of ex-sports minister Francisco Silveira, GFA Executive Committee Member Anthony Francis Vas, Parish Priest Fr Emidio Pinto, Assistant Parish Priest Fr Mario Carvalho, Rajnish Lawande and Derrick Mendes.
