Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: Geno FC managed to edge past Cortalim Villagers Social and Welfare Sports Club in a 3-2 thriller of Goa Professional League match played at Duler Stadium, here, on Thursday.
For Geno FC, Nigel Fernandes, Sidney Gauncar and Meinam Musharaf scored, while for Cortalim Villagers Ronil Azavedo and Velroy Carvalho reduced the margin.
With Thursday’s win Geno FC have 13 points, while Cortalim Villagers have five points, both having played six league matches.
Cortalim Villagers stunned their opponents with Ronil opening the account in the very 4th minute of play by driving a 25-yard rasping shot which crashed into the back of the nylons, beating Geno FC’s goalkeeper Akshat Hadkonkar hands down, 1-0.
Stung by the early goal, Geno FC exerted pressure and had two glorious chances to level terms but a strike by Sidney from an acute angle was brilliantly blocked by Cortalim Villagers’ goalkeeper Abhijeet Subba. Then in the 25th minute, Geno FC’s Meinam Musharaf goal-bound shot was blocked by Cortalim Villagers’ defender Minesh Kunkolkar.
In the very first minute on crossing ends, Geno FC were awarded a penalty with Minesh Kunkolkar bringing down substitute Nigel inside the 18-yard box prompting Referee Deepraj Sangelkar to point to the dreaded spot. Nigel himself stepped forward and scored, 1-1.
Geno FC were once again awarded their second penalty after Cortalim Villagers’ Clifford Costa tackled Nigel inside the penalty box. This time U-21 Sidney shouldered the responsibility and netted, 2-1.
Now, Cortalim Villagers were all over the rival territory and had two chances to level terms, but Geno FC’s custodian brought excellent saves to deny Ronil from scoring.
However, finally in the 84th minute, Velroy’s goal bound strike took a wicked deflection off the rival defender and the ball rolled into the goal, 2-2.
When it looked the match was heading for a 2-2 draw, a pinpoint cross by Nigel was headed by Meinam Musharaf for the winning goal, to send their supporters into raptures, 3-2.