NT NETWORK
BAMBOLIM
Goa bit more then what it could chew and ended sharing points with Chandigarh in a match that they could have swayed their way in their penultimate group match of the Santosh Trophy at the GMC stadium in Bambolim on Saturday.
Goa plays their last match against Services on Monday and their entry to the semifinals makes a win crucial or their fate will depend on the results of the other matches being played on the same evening.
Goa had not one but plenty of opportunities to buttress their lead against Chandigarh who did not play compact through the ninety minutes. Liston Colaco has chances – a few were thwarted by Chandigarh goalkeeper Harpritpal Singh while a few he squandered. Overall, Goa had incisive possession but they forgot that being the best is not enough in football- scoring underlies winners.
Liston Colaco had the first whiff of the Chandigarh goal in the seventh minute. His free kick was nullified by the Chandigarh keeper while Chandigarh got their first opportunity three minutes later through Jatinder Kumar.
Goa took the lead in the fourteenth minute when Aaren D Silva poked in a cross from the left by captain Francisco Fernandes. After the goal, it was a story of missed opportunities by Goa with Liston Colaco appearing steps behind his normal self.
Coach Mateus did a number of changes in the squad- on the teams encounter on their third game – and there appeared to be a bit of cohesion as he paired Salgaocars’s Liston with Brian Mascarenhas. However, what helped Goa was the free space given to Liston by the rivals. Brian and Liston did make some moves that appeared to catch the Chandigarh defenders on the wrong foot. However, the Goan pair showed weak feet when it came to finishing.
Chandigarh had the first good look at the Goa goalkeeper Melroy Fernandes- who guarded the citadel for the first time – when a long lob by Sehijpal Singh had to be tipped over. Thereafter it was a story of Goa missing chances and the Chandigarh lads unable to stitch any threatening moves.
Arshdeep Singh of Chandigarh played out of sorts in the first session. The Chandigarh coach brought in U-21 defender Gagandeep Singh for midfielder Sunveer Singh around thirty minutes in the game and the move proved vital as Gagandeep was crucial as an attacking midfielder.
Chandigarh drew level with Goa in the 57th minute through substitute Gagandeep Singh who on receiving the ball on top of the Goa box, saw the Goa keeper out of place and intelligently lobbed the ball with his left foot, over Goa goalkeeper Melroy Fernandes, for the equaliser.
Gagandeep Singh was fed by Captain Sehijpal Singh who was one amongst the Chandigarh players who had an enterprising day.