MARGAO: Navelim Sporting had to work hard to pip a stubborn Carmona Sports Club 1-0 to enter the quarter-finals of Fraxier trophy soccer tournament, organised by Young Strikers Club Benaulim at St John Baptist grounds, Dando-Benaulim.

Substitute Bitu Singh scored the match-winner five minutes before the close. The first session was evenly balanced but Navelim got more opportunities but could not find the net.
Carmona’s defence led by Yuri Ferrao also staged a solid performance to negate the moves initiated by Navelim medios Domnic Cabral and Richard Costa. After resumption, Navelim pressurised the rivals but Carmona’s young keeper Berny Rodrigues made a couple of decent saves. When it appeared that the match was heading towards the tie –breaker, winger Sunford Costa found Bitu Singh clear on the left flank and the youngster struck a powerful left footer which crashed on the side post before landing into the nylons in the 55th minute. That was not the last action of the match as a minute later Yuri’s long pass found Hanuman inside the box, but the striker to the frustration of the Carmona supporters, slammed the ball high over the cross piece with only the Navelim keeper Jhonathan Faleiro at his mercy.