MARGAO
Goa earned their qualification to the next stage of the National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy following their 3-0 win over Tamil Nadu, in Kokrajhar, Assam on Thursday.
Mohammed Faheez scored twice and Trijoy Dias got his third goal of the campaign as Goa finished with 11 points to top the group with a superior goal difference ahead of Nagaland, who also finished on 11 points. Goa were given hopes of progressing after Arunachal Pradesh held Nagaland to a 1-1 draw in the earlier match.
Knowing that they would need a win by two goals to qualify, Goa started on attacking front and managed to break the deadlock in the 11th minute when Shallum Pires intercepted a pass in the opposition half and swayed in an aerial diagonal pass to Trijoy on the right. The striker brilliantly brought the ball down to his feet with a clean first touch, and smashed past the onrushing keeper, 1-0.
Goa had the best chance to double the lead in the 27th minute when Kirtikesh Gadekar set Trijoy on goal. The striker had Clencio Pinto as an option in the middle but went for the goal from a tight angle and saw his shot go wide. In the 34th minute, Tamil Nadu made a counter attack with a header on target but Goa keeper was equal to the task. Though Tamil Nadu had lost all their previous group matches, they didn’t seem an easy side. They made Goa struggle to break into the last line.
In the second half, Goa started with intent and were awarded a penalty when Clencio’s strike from inside the box was handled by a Tamil Nadu defender. Faheez stepped up and coolly converted from the spot in the 48th minute to make it 2-0. Goa made the issue safe in the 68th minute when Faheez struck one again, this time guiding in a Trijoy pass.
