u19 I-League:Lesten seals victory to send Sporting Clube de Goa to the top of the table

Sporting Clube de Goa goal scorer Lesten Martins (no.8) celebrates his goal with provider Mauvin Borges

Lesten Martins sealed victory with a marvelous touch, as ten men Sporting Clube de Goa moved to the top of the table after overcoming Dempo Sports Club 1-0, in the Aiff’s U-19 I-League at Sesa ground, Sirsaim on Monday. 

Sporting Goa led 1-0 at the lemon break.The game was a typical physical Panjim derby, where neither team could expect victory without breaking a sweat.

From the onset the referee was kept on his toes as Sporting Goa’s top marksmen Mauvin Borges was singled out for some heavy treatment, while his team mates retaliated which produced fireworks.

In the twelfth minute, Dempo had a fabulous chance to break the deadlock when Clencio Pinto clipped the ball over the goalkeeper, but it went marginally wide of the post.

At the other end, Sporting Goa’s Papai Biswas saw his superbly driven shot palmed over by the rival custodian.

The atmosphere was reignited on the half hour mark, when Sporting Goa defender Chingakham Singh received his marching orders after he brought down Clencio Pinto on the edge of the box, which was his second bookable offence.

Six minutes before the interval, Sporting Goa’s Jesmon Carvalho was sent crashing to the canvas by the opposition. Mauvin Borges provided the incision from the resulting free kick with a cute pass, allowing Lesten Martins to react quickest and squirt the ball past the outrushing goalkeeper to give the Flaming Oranje the lead.

The second half was full of action, as Sporting Goa attempted to defend their slender lead, while Dempo tried to make good use of their numerical advantage.

Sporting Goa took off striker Akeraj Martins and brought on Jovel Fernandes as a defensive midfielder at half-time, as the team move from a 4-2-3-1 line up to a tenacious 4-4-1 formation, which managed to keep Dempo at bay.

“We played 60 minutes with ten men and so I am happy with the defensive set up of my team, especially the wingers Lesten and Papai who had to work twice as hard to cover the whole field,” stated Sporting Goa Coach Javier Cabrera.

At the half way point in the Goa zone group, Sporting Goa moved to the top of the table with 9 points from four matches, while Dempo stay on 3 points after the same number of games.

Sporting Clube de Goa striker Mauvin Borges is stopped in his tracks on route to goal

Sporting Club De Goa Press Release