MARGAO
Sai Avatar Anjuna marched into the semifinals of the 46th Cana Benaulim Soccer Championship with a commanding 2-0 victory over Parish Youth Nuvem at the Benaulim Panchayat ground on Sunday.
On a pleasant evening for football, both sides began with attacking intent, showcasing slick passing and creative play. Anjuna duo Mohammed Adur and Kreepal Dhargalkar consistently troubled the Nuvem defence, though the first half ended goalless. Nuvem came close to opening the scoring in the 35th minute, but Anjuna goalkeeper Soma Korgaokar produced a stunning diving save to deny Joywin Costa from close range.
The breakthrough came just three minutes later when Kreepal Dhargalkar found the net with a well-placed strike in the 38th minute. He doubled Anjuna’s lead in the 44th minute with a powerful finish, leaving the Nuvem goalkeeper with no chance. Despite Nuvem’s efforts to stage a comeback—led by a spirited performance from Joywin Costa—Anjuna’s backline held firm, with goalkeeper Soma Korgaokar standing tall under pressure.
Kreepal Dhargalkar’s clinical brace and dominant display earned him accolades from the crowd as Sai Avatar Anjuna sealed their place in the last four.
