By Joseph Solomon,
AIFF Media Team
NEW DELHI: Goa came from a goal down to defeat Delhi 2-1 in a Group A fixture of the ongoing 37th Sub-Junior National Football Championship at the Ambedkar Stadium in the Capital on April 18, 2016.
In the opening minutes of the match, Delhi controlled the tempo of the game and in the 7th minute, Delhi almost took the lead had Manav Sharma’s shot not been cleared off by a goal-line clearance by the Goan defence line.
Thirteen minutes later, Harsh Tomar’s shot from outside of the box went inches past Goa’s goal as Delhi upped their ante. Goa gradually got their heads around the Delhi gameplan and initiated attacks of their own.
In the 27th minute, a Kenneth da Costa shot came close to taking the lead for Goa as it zipped past the right post. Two minutes later, Sneh Tyagi made a top-draw save to deny a Goan header from a corner kick scenario.
At the half-way point both Team went into the tunnel on level pegging as the scoreline read 0-0.
Changing over and Delhi took the lead when Manav Sharma capitalized on an uncanny Goan clearance and slotted his opportunity into the back of the net to give Delhi a solitary goal lead.
Goa, although created attacking opportunities and were not the ones lacking in penetrating the Delhi defence, lacked the necessary composure to finish off their chances as wayward shots became frequent.
In the 80th minute, Goa were awarded a free-kick from the edge of the penalty box but it was struck over the Delhi cross bar. Two minutes later, Francis Demelo latched onto a cross in the Delhi box and volleyed it home to equalize Goa’s deficit as the scoreline read 1-1.
Shortly after, Kenneth da Costa scored a magnificient goal as he jumped higher than his marker and volleyed the ball home to make it 2-1 for Goa. And at the end of time, the scoreline read the same.
With this win, Goa advanced to the semi-finals of the 37th Sub-Junior National Football Championship as Runners-up in Group A.
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