Beach Soccer Tournament - Day 2 Match Report

Day 2 at Barefoot Fest, India’s first professional beach soccer championship witnessed some serious soccer action, with some of the top teams of Goa putting their beach soccer skills to the test!

The first match of the day took place between the well-known Dempo Juniors and C.J. Brothers. Favourites of the crowd Dempo Juniors won the match 2-1 in sudden death (a penalty shootout). Though the game began with a goal from Shafin Khan in favour of C.J. Brothers, Dempo’s Basilieo Fernandes levelled scores with a cracking goal towards the end of the second half. The match went into a penalty shootout where Shalon Pires from Dempo Juniors scored for his team while C.J. Brothers missed the net.

However, Dempo Juniors did not qualify for the pre-quarters being held on 7th Feb owing to a loss to Piedade Y. Association in their second match today.

The second encounter between Portais S.C. (A) and Augustias Sporting Club (B) went down to a nail-biting penalty shootout, with the latter winning 3-2. The first half saw several chances being missed and some great saves by both teams resulting in no goals being scored. The second half began on an energetic note with Nilesh Naik from Augustias S C (B) scoring in the first few minutes. Mozan Shaikh from Portais (A) replied with a striking goal, thus levelling scores 1-1. Penalty shootouts were used to decide the result of the match. Prashant Gaonkar and Nilesh Naik scored one penalty each for Augustias. Vardan Haldankar tried to save his team through one penalty shootout but unfortunately, Mozan Shaikh, who scored for Portais S.C. (A) earlier in the match, missed his penalty shot. Nilesh Naik was the star of the match.

The third match was again decided on the basis of a penalty shootout. Between the A.A. De Moira and Santa Cruz Cavelossim, the end of first half was in favour of De Moira with one goal from Akshay Moraskar. Jolex Fernandes scored a stunning goal for Cavelossim in the first minute of the second half to level the score 1-1. Excitement in both camps was on its peak as the penalty shootouts went to the last minute with the match eventually going in favour of Santa Cruz Cavelossim. The shootouts began with a goal each from Arbaz Shaikh of AA. De Moira and Fredrick Endro from Santa Cruz Cavelossim; followed by a shootout, which was missed by both teams. In the third shootout, Akshay Moraskar from AA. De Moira missed his shot, thus giving an advantage to Santa Cruz Cavelossim that cashed in on the same with a smashing goal from Sagar Bakhandae; thus winning the match 3-2.

In a one-sided fourth match between Piedade Y. Association and Crown Club, Piedade Y. Association dominated from the very start with Agnelo Colaco and Ajay Diwadkar scoring a corner each in the first half. Even the second half could not turn the fortunes of Crown Club, as Ajay Diwadkar scored his second goal with a brilliant header. Sanford Gonsalves from Crown Club managed to score one goal for Crown Club towards the end of the second half with a penalty kick, but Piedade Y. Association won the match with a convincing 3-1 lead.

In the last big ticket game of the tournament, Churchill Red Machines showed why they were powerhouse in the sport with a convincing 3-1 win over Cuncolim Union. They opened their account as early as in the 2nd minute against Cuncolim. It didn’t stop there as with some immaculate passing, 45 seconds later they doubled their tally. Cuncolim’s attempts on the Churchill goal post were not threatening enough though they scored a consolation goal in the second half against the third one from Churchill.

Pre-quarters will be held tomorrow.