PANAJI: Velsao Sports and Cultural Club earned a point following their dramatic 2-2 draw in Goa Football Association’s Selvel Goa Professional League at Duler Stadium, Mapusa, on Tuesday.
Ronil Azavedo scored a 95th minute equaliser for Velsao after Jobern Cardozo had scored a brace for Churchill Brothers. Brian Mascarenhas had scored from the spot-kick to put Velsao ahead in 18th minute.
With the I-League players back in the Red Machines squad, Churchill Brothers included five new faces. Kingslee Fernandes, Shubert Pereira started while Bryce Miranda was on the bench.
Churchill Brothers had the first shot on target in the fourth minute when Bersal Viegas on seeing Kingslee Fernandes make a run in the box, set the midfielder through. He got past one Velsao player and took a shot which was blocked by Velsao custodian Presley Mascarenhas.
Churchill Brothers surprisingly conceded a soft penalty in the 18th minute when Asif Ali Molla brought down Joseph Pereira in the box. Brian Mascarenhas slammed the ball past the Red Machines custodian despite Debnath Mondal diving in the same direction.
Churchill Brothers levelled the scores in the 42nd minute when Presley Mascarenhas failed to cleanly collect a Shubert Pereira low shot and the ball rolled to Jobern Cardozo, who scored with a simple tap-in.
Kingslee Fernandes made it difficult for Velsao to anticipate his runs and move and during one such attack, he stunned the Velsao backline with a defence-splitting pass to Franky Olivera. He however saw his effort being blocked by Velsao keeper Presley.
Churchill Brothers took the lead in the 52nd minute and it was once again Kingslee, who started the move. The midfielder threaded Shubert through on the left flank. The winger whipped in a cross into the box to an unmarked Jobern Cardozo, who scored with a simple tap-in.
The Red Machines were unlucky not to score their third as Shubert was denied by the side post. At the hour mark, Joseph Pereira saw his effort cleared off the line by Asif.
Velsao had the best chance to get back into the game in the 80th minute when Brian Mascarenhas sent a floater into the box, which beat the entire Churchill Bros defence and found Piyush Sikarwar, but the lad failed to control the ball with just the keeper at his mercy.
Velsao however stunned Churchill Brothers with a 95th minute equaliser when Ronil Azavedo scored a stunner from outside the box with the last kick of the game.
