Salgaocar FC thrash Guardian Angel 8-1 in the Goa Pro League

Stefen Fernandes ran the Guardian Angel players ragged

Margao:

Salgaocar FC’s juniors put up a stupendous second half performance to notch up their second successive win in the GFA Taca Goa with an 8-1 thumping of Guardian Angel at Fatorda. This performance comes at the back of a 12-0 demolition of Curtorim Gymkhana in the opener. Salgaocar led 2-1 at the breather.

Despite the scorching heat, the game was played at fast pace and the Greens did much of the early running with Guardian Angel looking to hit on the counter. It didn’t Salgaocar long to break the deadlock. In the 4th minute, Myron made a strong run on the right and his fierce low drive saw the keeper pull off a fine save but only as far as Jason Barbosa who calmly slotted home the rebound.

The goal seemed to spur the lads from Curchorem who attacked with more intent in search of the equaliser. Whilst Salgaocar controlled much of the game with short passes, Guardian Angel’s pacy forwards ensured Salgaocar’s backs were kept on their toes.

Seven minutes later the teams were Jaison Dias set out on a mazy run and after beating a couple of Salgaocar defenders calmly slotted past Avinash Kumar who replaced Rohan Sheik in the Salgaocar goal for this game.

It was all Salgaocar thereafter, but their forwards were guilty of wasting chances aplenty. Stefen Fernandes, Naro Hari Shrestha and Myron Borges kept interchanging some delightful passes, but either failed to hit the target or were foiled by Christo, the Guardian Angel keeper.

Just as it seemed like the teams were going to go into half-time all square, Salgaocar scored their second goal of the evening in the 42nd minute with a beautifully worked team goal. Jason on the left smartly back heeled the ball for Stefen whose run saw him go past a couple of defenders and found the corner of the net with some deft placement.

Salgaocar scored six goals in the second half

After the change of ends, the Greens came out all guns blazing and added 6 more to the kitty. Stefen scored his second of the evening with a smart finish from inside the box in the 61st minute after he was set up by Harmanjot, whilst Myron smartly broke the off-side trap to slide past an advancing keeper to make it 4-1 in the 72nd minute.

Harmanjot who was full or running through the game and sent in some delightful crosses then made it 5-1 after he carried the ball from his own half along the sideline and smartly cut in to beat a couple of defenders and blasted home in the 74th.

The Greens still had time to add three more to the scoreline, the first of which was headed in by Naro Hari off a free-kick whipped in by Samuel Costa in the 76th minute. Substitute Domnic Soares then found the back of the net in the 86th minute as he stole the ball off a Guardian Angel player around the centre line.

He raced forward and smashed home from the top of the box. The rout was complete in the 90th minute when the other substitute Ruflon Fernades threw himself back to score a stunning headed goal, finding the right corner.

Salgaocar FC’s juniors next take on Calangute Association on the 18th of this month.