Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: An 85th minute diving header by Thokchom Singh enabled Sesa FA to register a 2-1 win over FC Goa in the Goa Professional League match played at Duler Stadium, here, on Friday.
All the goals came in the second session of play with Mallikjan Kalegar opening the account for FC Goa, while Sesa FA not only levelled terms through substitute Clencio Pinto, but saw Thokchom Singh score the winning goal.
With Friday’s win, Sesa FA have 12 points from five matches, while FC Goa have six points from six matches.
Though both the teams played at a fast pace yet not a single threatening strike was taken at the goal in the first session of play.
In the 4th minute, Young Gaurs U-21 Bryson Pereira sent a square pass to Jovial Dias inside the 18-yard box but his stiff grounder was blocked on the goal line by Sesa FA’s stopper-back Myran Pereira.
As the match progressed, both the teams had a free-kick each on top of the penalty box but the strikers failed to keep their shots on target.
In the last quarter of the first session, Young Gaurs should have taken the lead but a strike by Jovial Dias from a close was collected by Sesa FA’s custodian Sapam Singh, while Lalthangliana shot skywards from inside the penalty box.
In the stoppage time, Young Gaurs custodian Bob Jackson Raj saw his miss kick being intercepted by Sesa FA’s skipper Shridharnath Gawas, however, his weak shot hit the rival defender for a corner.
Just two minutes into the second session and Young Gaurs forged ahead when stopper back Mallikjan Kalegar connected Jovial Dias corner, 1-0.
In the 61st minute, Sesa FA’s coach Charles Dias brought his triumph striker Clencio Pinto from the bench who guided Omkar Shetgaonkar corner into the goal to level terms, 1-1.
At the other end, Sesa FA’s defender Akash Kudnekar brought a timely clearance before Young Gaurs Lemmet Tangvah could connect Lalthangliana cross into the goal.
Ten minutes later, hard working medio and skipper Shridharnath Gawas drove a blistering 25-yard strike where Young Gaurs custodian Bob swayed the ball for a corner.
Sesa FA continued exerting pressure and in the 85th minute a corner by substitute Sachidanand Satelkar was brilliantly finished by Thokchom Singh with a diving header 2-1.