PANAJI: Sesa Football Academy were lucky to walk away with a point following their 1-1 draw against Sporting Clube de Goa in Goa Football Association’s Selvel Goa Professional League at Duler Stadium, Mapusa, on Thursday.
Myron Fernandes scored an 89th minute own-goal to cancel his own team’s 7th-minute lead earned through Marcus Mascarenhas.
Sporting Clube de Goa made a fine start with an early goal when Rohit Totad sent a low cross in the box which found an unmarked Philip Odogwu, but the foreigner’s weak touch went as far as Marcus Mascarenhas, who pushed the ball into the net.
Sesa FA had an opportunity in the 11th minute when Rizbon Fernandes headed the ball to an unmarked Myron Borges, who went straight for the goal in a hurry, but the ball went wide.
Sporting Clube’s Rohit made it difficult for Sesa FA. The Flaming Oranje kept pressing for the second goal and had a chance when Myron Fernandes sent a delivery into the box from the right, which was perfectly laid to Marcus. However, his half-volley was brilliantly saved by Sapan Singh.
Sporting had a chance to inflate the lead from a setpiece. Myron’s freekick from outside the box was headed in by Kunal Kundaikar, whose effort bounced inside the line and an outstretched Sapan got to the ball.
The Flaming Oranje were threatening on counters and during one such raid, Marcus and Philip played a quick one-two before the latter rolled the ball for Sachidanand at the far post. The winger, however, shot wide.
Sesa FA keeper Sapan was then forced into a stunning save from Marcus, who hit a straight low shot from the top of the box, after being set up by Myron.
Sesa had the best chance to level when Kunal connected a half-volley which was blocked by Kunal. However the ball fell again to Sesa FA and this time a defensive mixup from Alton would have given Sesa FA a chance but Suraj failed to make the best of the chance. He shot way off-target from a tight angle.
Sporting however, conceded in the dying minutes of the game when Kunal sent a cross into the box which was headed into his own net by Myron. Gourav Kankonkar had a chance to regain the lead once again for Sporting when he was fed by Girish Naik. However, the former headed over the bar with just the rival goalkeeper in sight.
