Salgaocar FC secure 2-0 victory over Sporting Clube in Goan derby

Salgaocar FC and Sporting players seen in action at the Nehru Stadium in Fatorda.

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Margao: Subrata Pal’s heroics and an outstanding performance by the 4 man Salgaocar defense saw the Greens emerge 2-0 victors against Sporting Clube de Goa in a Round 4 clash of the Hero I-League 2014-15 played earlier today. With this win, Salgaocar move to 5 points from 4 outings whilst Sporting, yet to register their first win of the campaign are on 1 point from 3 matches.

Salgaocar started with the same 11 that took the field in the previous outing against Mohun Bagan and had the better of the opening exchanges as Jairu shot over from a tight angle after a cross from the right by Rosario Mendes eluded the entire defense.

Moments later Aslon was the culprit as he failed to connect altogether after being set up on a platter by Douhou Pierre. Sporting settled into the game after the first quarter and looked to play the ball up for Jerry at every given opportunity who was closely marked by Salgaocar’s stopper backs Francis Kasonde and Augustin Fernandes.

Close to the half hour mark, Pratesh Shirodkar was put through on the right and darted into the box but his cross came off Augustin and landed against the woodwork before being cleared to safety by the Greens. The rest of the half saw the ball mostly confined to the midfield.

Just when it looked like both teams were headed into the locker rooms even, a corner from Gilbert Oliveira in added time at the end of the first half found Francis Kasonde inside the box. The last name chested down calmly and sent in a low hard effort which was deflected into the goal by Bikash Jairu.

After the change of ends, Sporting came out intent on finding the equaliser and attacked relentlessly. However, they were barely allowed any space by the Salgaocar defenders. A Sporting free-kick in the 51st minute just outside the box was well saved by Subrata Pal at the expense of a corner.

The Flaming Oranje should have been level in the 65th minute however, when Jerry was set up beautifully inside the box but he shot his delicately placed effort come off the woodwork, much to the dismay of the Sporting bench and fans. The miss proved costly almost immediately as a teasing cross by Gurjinder from the left was smartly flicked on by Clifton with Ravi Kumar pulling off a good save.

Salgaocar doubled their lead in the 79th minute rather fortuitously when Joyner Lourenco’s back pass rolled under keeper Ravi Kumar’s legs to roll into the net. Striker Darryl Duffy’s introduction in the 90th minute was cheered vociferously by the legion of Salgaocar fans at the stadium and his return to action ought to be encouraging sign ahead of their next home encounter against East Bengal on the 7thof this month.