PANAJI
Sporting Clube de Goa stretched their unbeaten run to four games following a resounding 4-0 win over Velsao Sports and Cultural Club in the Goa Football Association’s Selvel Goa Professional League at Duler Stadium, Mapusa, on Sunday.
The Flaming Oranje scored two goals in either half through Philip Odogwu (11’), Rohit Totad (31’), Marcus Mascarenhas (58’) and Sachidanad (66’). Sporting Clube now move to 12 points from 4 games while Velsao SCC remain on 1 point from six matches.
Velsao were a totally transformed side having made five changes in their line-up. They had an early shot on goal through Savelon Cardozo but it went straight to the keeper. However, it was Sporting Clube who took the lead from a set-piece in the 11th minute. Myron Fernandes sent in a good delivery in the box from the second corner kick, which Philip Odogwu headed in to score his second of the season.
Velsao SCC came very close to finding their equaliser when Brian Mascarenhas played a short corner to U-20 Rohan Rodrigues, whose shot from outside the box missed the target by whiskers.
It was an end-to-end match but Sporting had clear-cut chances to double their lead through Rohit Totad and Philip, but both saw their efforts go wide from good positions. Rohit finally scored in the 31st minute when he was fed in the box by Marcus from midfield. The U-20 player controlled the ball and got past his marker and curled a low shot at the far post.
Sporting squandered a chance to get their third in the 45th minute when Rohit dribbled past Velsao defenders and the keeper and played the ball to Sachidanand Satelkar, who tried a lobbed shot with the keeper rushing onto him but the attempt sailed over the bar.
In the second half, Savelon had a shot saved by Ozen from a distance. At the other end, Sporting had their effort come off the post. Rohit ran down the flank and got on to the byline and squared the ball to Philip, who flicked the ball but it came off the post and went out for a goal kick.
Velsao’s Umesh Pujar made a goalline save to deny Sachidanad when he flicked the ball past the onrushing keeper, which was ultimately cleared off the line. Sachidanand finally scripted his name on the scoresheet with the fourth in the 66th minute. Marcus threaded a through pass to Sachidanand on the left, who clinically put the ball into the back of the net.
