G.O.A ROLLING TROPHY
AVC AND DON BOSCO ORATORY TO CLASH FOR TITLE
In hard fought matches played
last Friday, AVC Sports & Cultural Association who have made winning a
habit won 3-1 against Santos United and a
youthful Don Bosco Oratory edged
United Friends Club 3-2 in the semi-finals of the prestigious GOA Rolling Trophy organized by
Goan Overseas Association (Kuwait) and played at the MOH grounds under the
auspices of KIFF.
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| AVC in finals |
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| Don Bosco Oratory will play AVC in finals |
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| UFC lost 2-3 |
In the first semi final, AVC
Sports & Cultural Association who have practically won everything on offer
this season continued their winning streak when they beat Santos United
3-1. Santos United who have performed
their best this season, actually scored the first goal when AVC goalkeeper
Alvaro failed to collect from a free kick and Anthony Rego was on hand to tap
in. Well into the second half however
AVC equalized in the 23rd minute when in one moment of sheer
brilliance their hard working forward Anurag Thapa connected exquisitely from a
low cross by Anthony to find the far corner of the Santos net. Colaco made it 2-1 when his free kick from
just outside the eighteen yard box went past the diving Santos keeper. Anurag Thapa added a third in the 40th
minute to take the game beyond Santos United who tried their level best to
equalize until the end. IFRA official Julio Cardoso was the centre
referee and supported by Sarto Baptista and Lloyd D’souza on the lines.
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| Santos United lost 1-3 to AVC |
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| New IFRA official Jan Rodrigues (right) with IFRA President Francis |
In the second semi final, Don
Bosco Oratory with the arrival of reinforcement from India in the form of
Michael Lobo and Agnelo were clear favorites against United Friends Club who
took the field without regular keeper Britto who is on vacation in India and
Nikhil D’souza hardly wasted any time to put DBO in the lead in the very 4th
minute of the game. UFC however had
other ideas and stuck to their game plan of defending and making sporadic
counter attacks led by Duarte, Prince and Shehin and one such attack resulted
with Abdul Muneer delightfully chipping one over Aledio in the DBO goal from
the defense splitting pass by Prince in the 38th minute of the first
half. Nikhil had a hand in increasing
DBO’s lead in the second half when his feeble shot on goal was helped in by the
UFC defenders and although Nofal equalized soon afterward, it was Michael Dias
who ensured DBO were through to the finals when he tapped in a neat cross from
Agnelo. The match was officiated by
Pascoal and he was assisted by Jose and Jan Rodrigues on the lines.
The final between AVC Sports
& Cultural Association and Don Bosco will be played on 23rd May
2014 at 8:00am at the MOH grounds.
Report & Pics by Julio
Cardoso
