PANAJI
Sporting Clube de Goa’s striker Mark Carvalho scored two goals as Sporting Clube de Goa defeated Calangute Association 2–0 in their 14th Goa Professional League fixture at the Duler Stadium on Monday.
The Flaming Oranje now sit solo at the top of the standings with 33 points. The victory was defined by Carvalho’s clinical finishing and a dominant midfield performance led by Niraj Parekh and Joyson Coutinho ensuring Sporting maintained their momentum in the title race.
Sporting Clube de Goa took the lead in the 27th minute when a high ball from Samuel Costa found Mark Carvalho making a surging run toward the goal. Carvalho controlled the ball from the right side and hammered it home to break the deadlock. Earlier in the 20th minute, Niraj Parekh nearly opened the scoring directly from a corner kick, but his strike drifted just wide of the post.
Calangute Association struggled to break through Sporting’s defense, though they found a rare opening in first-half stoppage time when a corner kick floated dangerously over the crossbar. Just before the break, Sporting’s Prince Figueredo missed a chance to double the lead, heading a well-placed ball just over the target in the 42nd minute.
The pressure continued in the second half as Sporting looked to put the game away. In the 57th minute, Niraj Parekh struck a powerful ball following a foul outside the area, which deflected away after an initial save. Just two minutes later, Samuel Costa saw his close-range effort from the left go narrowly wide. Mark Carvalho remained a constant threat, coming close again in the 67th minute before finally securing the second goal.
The victory was sealed in the 77th minute when Niraj Parekh delivered a precise corner from the right, which Carvalho met at the left side of the goal to make it 2–0. The goal marked Carvalho's third of the season. Calangute attempted a late comeback in the 86th minute, but a defensive block by Joel Colaco and a secure catch by goalkeeper Abhimanyu Singh ensured the clean sheet remained intact until the final whistle.
