Goa start Santosh Trophy campaign on winning note

Panaji: All’s well that starts well.

Goa survived nervy moments towards the end but were good enough to put it across

Meghalaya

2-1 in the opening match of the National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy at GMC Athletic Stadium, Bambolim, on Sunday.

Coach Mateus Costa fielded a make-shift side to accommodate three under-21 players and the absence of a regular central-defensive pairing created some discomfort. The hosts started impressively but it was not until the change of ends when

Latesh Mandrekar

gave them the lead in the 49th minute and

Liston Colaco

made it 2-0 three minutes later that the tension had died down.

Meghalaya, however, were not willing to give up without a fight, pulling a goal back through

Enestar

Malangiang in the 54th minute and then pinning the hosts on the back-foot for the rest of the match.

Goa, however, defended resolutely and were entirely deserving of the top spot in the group.

Goa, on the hunt for their sixth Santosh Trophy honour, started with a lot of intent. Their short-passing game won them many admirers but whatever midfielders

Cajetan Fernandes

and Leander D’Cunha conjured, the strikers simply didn’t have the maturity to convert into goals. Youngsters Liston and Latesh, at least in the opening 45 minutes, always ended up with one touch too many.

The strikers though delivered in style after the change of ends. Four minutes into the second half, Leander intercepted a ball in the centre and then picked out Liston. The Salgaocar FC striker – highest goalscorer in the Goa Pro League – then slid the ball through for Latesh who sidestepped his marker and hammered the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper.

The opening goal fired-up Goa and within three minutes, there was another one. This time Liston rose to the occasion with a goal that had class written all over it. A long clearance from Goa’s own half saw the 18-year-old leave at least three players in their wake, and when more crowded him just inside the box, he showed remarkable composure to slot the ball home. It was a fine goal and, for those who watched in wide-eyed amazement, more proof that this one is worth keeping an eye on.

Liston’s solo goal, however, was overshadowed by another classy goal, this time at the other end. Goa needlessly conceded a free kick just outside the box and Enestar gave his team a fighting chance, curling the ball beautifully into the top corner.

For the remainder of the match, Meghalaya pressed hard. Enestar was the liveliest on the field, while Kitboklang Pale and Andy Mawthoh showed promise. The equalizer, however, remained elusive.

In all fairness, Goa deserved full points, but had it not been for a good show from the rival goalkeeper, and the goalpost that came to Meghalaya’s rescue twice, the hosts would have been breathing a little easy.