PANAJI: Nerul Sports Club overcame Ambelim Sports Club 8-6 via the tie-breaker to move into the second round of a high-scoring encounter of 39th Custodio memorial football tournament, at Raia grounds on Saturday. The teams were tied 4-4 at the end of regulation time.
In an exciting encounter, both teams resorted to attacking game plan. Ambelim continued raiding the Nerul citadel and in the 6th and 8th minute their tries were saved by Xavier. Nerul showed no urgency in attacking as it was Ambelim that camped in the Nerul half.
The slight drizzle in 12th minute seemed to have woken up the Nerul players from the slumber, and they then managed to raid the Ambelim defence to keep the keeper Benny Silva busy collecting the ball. It was Nerul who took the lead in the 27th minute through Abijit Govenkar. Nerul led by 1-0 at the lemon-break.
After resumption, Nerul made their intentions clear by constantly raiding into the Ambelim territory. One such move resulted in a penalty, which was converted neatly by Janifer Clement (2-0). Ambelim were determined to get a goal and a fine move saw Maxim Fernandes skilfully slotting the ball past the keeper in the 34th minute (1-2).
Nerul soon increased the lead in the 44 minute through Abhijit who let fly a thunderbolt from mid-field which left the Ambelim keeper stranded in amazement, as Nerul led 3-1 at this stage.
Fortunes fluctuated and both teams made equal raids in the opponent’s territory. Nerul who played a subdued game in the first half suddenly came to life and the Ambelim keeper, Benny was kept busy.
Ambelim were a determined group and organised their half and forward players and saw more of the ball.
The good work was rewarded and Salwyn of Ambelim scored in the 52nd minute (2-3). In the 55th minute Agnello Rebeiro held on to the ball for some time before dribbling past two defenders of Ambelim and coolly slotted the ball into the goal (4-2). Ambelim moved into the Nerul D area and from a tussle between the defence and forward of Ambelim, Prerism Fernandes managed to score from a melee in 56th minute (3-4). The score was level 4-4 in the 57th minute. At the long whistle both teams were on equal terms. In the tie-breaker, Nerul kept their cool and slotted four goals missing once while Ambelim managed to score just two of the four kicks attempted.
