Calangute Assn show control to subdue Chapora YS

PANAJI

Calangute Association asserted their authority in the second half to secure a 3-1 win over Chapora Yuvak Sangh after a fiercely contested opening phase. The contest began at a measured pace with both sides well organised and probing without risk. Chapora struck first in the 37th minute through a moment of clarity. Shailesh Shirvoikar broke through midfield pressure before slipping a precise pass to Soham Sheticar, who finished decisively to hand Chapora the lead.

Calangute’s response was immediate and assertive. After seeing an earlier header crash off the crossbar, they drew level just before the interval when Sheldon Pereira capitalised on a goalkeeping error, reacting quickest to slot home from close range and restore parity at halftime.

The momentum shifted decisively after the restart. In the 57th minute, Pereira sensed space inside the box following a blocked attempt and showed composure to beat the keeper, giving Calangute the lead. Three minutes later, the forward struck again, driving through a crowded defence after neat interplay with Shaviz Pathan and finishing clinically to put daylight between the sides.

At Nagoa ground, Clube de Salgaocar and FC Goa were locked in a tense tactical battle that ended scoreless, with FC Goa goalkeeper Lionel Rymmei emerging as the decisive figure. The opening half was played at a high tempo, with both sides pressing aggressively and committing numbers forward without overexposing themselves. Midfield duels were intense, space was limited and while the intent to attack was clear, neither team could carve out a decisive opening before the break.

Salgaocar raised the stakes after halftime and came within inches of breaking the deadlock. Just three minutes into the second half, Rymmei produced a sharp reflex save to deny a close-range effort. The pressure continued and in the 52nd minute Pratesh Shirodkar struck powerfully from distance, only for Rymmei to intervene again with impeccable positioning.

The momentum increasingly tilted towards Salgaocar as they sustained attacks deep in FC Goa’s half. Shots were fired, balls were recycled into the box and pressure mounted, but composure in front of goal deserted them at key moments. Each time Salgaocar threatened, Rymmei remained unflappable, commanding his area and extinguishing danger. The game ended in a goalless draw.

Whereas at Sirsaim ground, a single moment of precision was enough for Geno FC to claim a 1-0 victory over Sesa FA at Sirsaim. The breakthrough came in the 18th minute from a set-piece that appeared to have been dealt with. Sesa cleared Geno’s corner only partially, the ball dropping a few metres outside the penalty area. Vasim Inamdar stepped onto it without hesitation and unleashed a fierce drive through a packed defence, the strike flying past the goalkeeper before anyone could react.

That goal shaped the rest of the contest. Sesa pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but Geno remained compact and disciplined, closing spaces and slowing the tempo whenever pressure mounted. Chances were limited as the game settled into a tense midfield battle. With neither side able to find another opening, Inamdar’s strike proved decisive, handing Geno a hard-earned three points in a match settled by one decisive action.