the goan I network
DULER
Velsao Sports and Cultural Club tasted their first victory in the ongoing Goa Professional League as they drubbed Panjim Footballers 5-1 at Duler stadium, here on Wednesday.
Finally in the sixth round league match, Velsao secured full points and took their tally to four points, while Panjim Footballers remain on three points from five league matches.
Joseph Pereira (2), Sushant Borkar, Jelsu Moniz and Manjunath Rathod scored for Velsao SCC, while Snedden Rodrigues pulled a goal back for Panjim Footballers.
Both teams having lost their last league match, Velsao to Salgaocar and Panjim Footballers to Vasco SC; started earnestly. However, it was Velsao that caught the rival defence napping and scored in the 4th minute of play. Bersal Viegas’ free-kick was headed by Joseph Pereira to the far corner of the goal.
Velsao almost scored their second goal soon after, but a strike by Jesloy Moniz went just past the side post. As the match progressed, the Panaji outfit came close in opening their account when in the 23rd minute, Chandan Gawas’ shot was blocked by Velsao goalkeeper Preston Rego, who once again came to his team’s rescue, collecting a smart header from Joyson DSouza.
Another glorious chance went in vain for the Capital city side as Daryl Costa was late to connect Snedden Rodrigues’ cross at the far post. While Panjim Footballers failed to score, Velsao further increased their lead to 2-0. In the 39th minute, Dylan Rodrigues collected a floater from Flan Gomes and coolly lobbed the ball over the advancing goalkeeper Adney Fernandes.
Panjim Footballers tried to come back into the match when referee Shaikh Aboo pointed to the penalty spot after Velsao’s Flan Gomes had handled the ball inside the penalty box. Panjim skipper Snedden Rodrigues stepped forward and scored to make it 1-2.
In the 46th minute, a close header by Jesloy Moniz was tipped over the crossbar by goalkeeper Adney. However the keeper could do very little when Sushant Borkar scored the third goal with a stiff grounder.
On crossing over, Panjim Footballers did come with some fine display but failed to get past stopper-back Bersal Viegas and Neville Fernandes. At the other end, Velsao came close twice in increasing the lead but Remedious Vaz’s shot zoomed over the post while keeper Adney brilliantly blocked Jesloy Moniz’s stiff grounder at the first post.
In the last ten minutes of the match, Velsao pumped in two more goals through a neat tap-in by Joseph Pereira (82nd) and substitute Manjunath Rathod (89th min) with an adroit placement.
