Goa Professional League Roundup – Matchday 23

March of the Green Brigade: Salgaocar’s Ronaldo Oliveira slots the ball past

the Guardian Angel keeper, Jeet. Picture Courtesy: Goa Football Association

Dempo SC go seven points clear at the top of the Goa Professional League table with wins over Corps of Signals and defending champions Sporting Clube de Goa.

Salgaocar FC and Churchill Brothers FC occupy fourth and fifth spots and have a couple of matches in hand.

Goan FC, who occupy third spot, did not feature in this round as the Goa Professional League approaches the final stages.

Dempo signal their intent with 5-1 win

Dempo maintained their hold at the top of the Goa Professional League table with a 5-1 win over Corps of Signals at the Dempo Football Academy Ground, Ella, Old Goa.

Unbeaten in 10 matches, the Dempo team fell behind in the 20th minute. Suklab Bordolai headed in Aaron Alvares’s from six-yards to make it 1-0 for the visitors.

Stunned after conceding, Dempo went on the attack. Jessel Carneiro’s shot went over the bar minutes later. In the the 37th minute, Dempo found the equalizer.

Jessel’s corner was intercepted by Signals keeper Niyas Mon. The ball fell to Olan Chandran in the box and the defender cut past a defender and shot past the Niyas to make it 1-1.

After the break, it was the Joaquim Abranches show.

The forward scored his first goal in the 54th minute. He dribbled past two defenders before clinically finishing past the keeper.

Signals nearly equalized immediately when L. Solomon Khongsai’s long-range effort struck the crossbar.

At the other end, Joachim converted a penalty in the 60th after Pedro was fouled in the box by Nim Bhutia.

Seven minutes later Joaquim completed his hat trick as his powerful shot from just inside the box gave no chance to Niyas. 4-1 in the 67th minute, Joachim completing a hat-trick in 13 minutes.

Midfielder Pedro added his name to the score sheet in the 87th minute to make it making it 5-1 for the Golden Eagles.

The win takes Dempo to 47 points, seven points clear from second placed Sporting Clube de Goa. Signals has 16 points in ninth place.

Dempo pulls clear of Sporting

Earlier in the week, Dempo SC registered a 2-1 win over Sporting Clube de Goa at the Dempo Football Academy Ground in Ella, Old Goa. The win has helped the hosts consolidate their position at the top of the table.

Sporting Clube de Goa took an early lead in the fourth minute. Dempo goalkeeper Tyson Caiado blocked Stendly Fernandes’ shot which presented a chance for Marcus Mascarenhas to hit on the rebound.

Tyson blocked the second attempt but could not prevent Glan Martins from scoring.1-0 after four minutes.

Glan Martin nearly scored a second in the 18th minute when his shot from top of the box was punched out for a corner.

Dempo SC took time to settle and came closest to scoring around the 20th minute when Jessel Carneiro’s effort from the left was well collected by Sporting goalkeeper Melroy Fernandes. Jessel’s effort brought rhythm into the Dempo attack and they managed to equalise three minutes later through their dependable striker Joaquim Abranches.

Dempo found their rhythm and equalized through their dependable striker Joaquim Abranches. Pedro sent in a cross into the Sporting box in the 23rd minute and Joaquim headed the ball in to equalize.

Sporting’s star player, Victorino Fernandes was thrown in in 58th minute to make an impact in the game. However, it was Joaquim who covered himself in glory with his second in the 68th minute.

A corner by Melroy caused a goal mouth mêlée. Joaquim reacted to poke the ball home to give Dempo the lead.

Sporting Clube de Goa had two chances in the final minutes but could not find the back of the net. The win allowed Dempo SC to pull away from the defending champions.

The Goa Professional League Table after Round 23 .

Devendra and Ronaldo clips Angel’s wings

Braces from Devendra Murgaonkar and Ronaldo Oliveira helped Salgaocar FC registered an easy 4-0 win over Guardian Angel Sports Club at the Duler Stadium.

Earlier in the year, Salgaocar hammered Angels 4-1 in their previous meeting.

The Greens started attacking straight from the kick-off. Ronaldo Oliveira and Devendra Murgaonkar combining to torment the Angels defense. .

After keeping Salgaocar at bay for more than half an hour, the Angels defense gave way in the 34th minute. Ronaldo’s cross in the box provided Devendra with a simple tap in from close.

Salgaocar doubled the lead four minutes into the second half. Selwyn dribbled past two defenders in the box and sent a short pass to an unmarked Ronaldo. The forward made an easy tap-in from the goalmouth to make it 2-0 for his side.

Ronaldo scored his second in the 53rd minute. Stephen stole the ball from onrushing Angels keeper and shot on the goal from six-yards.

Angels defender Joaquim Carvalho managed to clear the ball off the goal line. However, the ball fell to Ronaldo who slotted the ball to make it 3-0.

Devendra scored his second, and the team’s fourth, in the 58th minute when he snatched the ball from an Angels defender and made a quick run before finishing the ball in the goal from just inside the box.

In the last half hour, Angels almost reduced the margin on multiple occasions. Alvito Miranda’s header off a corner hit the post, while Clinton Niasse’s header had Salgaocar goalie pulling off yet another save.

The win takes Salgaocar to the 4th spot with 38 points, while Angels are on seventh with 21 points.

Stephen Satarkar settles Port Town derby with a hat-trick

Earlier in the week a Stephen Satarkar hat-trick helped Salgaocar Football Club register a comfortable 4-1 win over Vasco Sports Club in the Port Town derby at the Duler Stadium.

Both sides created opportunities in the opening exchanges. Devendra Murgaonkar and Rugved Yeole coming close for both teams.

Salgaocar opened their tally in the 42nd minute. Ronaldo’s powerful shot gave Sanju Thapa no chance to concede to make it 1-0 for the Greens.

The Greens started the second half brightly when Devendra’s header forced Thapa into a brilliant save. However, the Vasco custodian could not hold the opponents for long. Salgaocar’s midfielder Stephen flicked in Godfray’s cross in the 52nd minute.

The third goal came soon after when Chaitan Komarpant made a darting run on the wing and found Stephen with a square pass in the box. The midfielder easily put the ball in the net from close.

Stephen completed his hat-trick after turning in Ronaldo’s cross to make it 4-0

Vasco reduced their margin in the dying minutes of the match as Moises scored a consolation to make it 4-1. After this loss, Vasco remains on the 6th position with 27 points.

Churchill shrug off Bardez challenge

Goals by Sevelon Cardozo, Anthony Wolfe and striker Uttam Rai enabled Churchill Brothers SC to register a 3-0 win over relegated Bardez FC at the Rosary Grounds, Fatorda.

Bardez FC started the match with a higher percentage of possession and did not give the Red Machines the room to operate.

Churchill Brothers got a lucky break in the 44th minute. Sevelon Cardozo’s long-range deflected off a Bardez player and the effort crashed into the Bardez net to make it 1-0.

After the break, Churchill Brothers SC entered the field with renewed ideas. The I-League side looked sharper and doubled the tally in the 48th minute when Sevelon’s pass to Anthony Wolfe saw the striker slam the ball past the rival custodian, 2-0.

Uttam Rai rounded up the scoreline in the 65th minute with a solo effort. The former Dempo player dribbling past the Bardez defense before finishing to make it 3-0.

The win takes the Churchill Brothers to 36 points in fourth position, while Bardez FC remained on six points at the bottom of the league.

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