PANAJI
Sporting Clube de Goa wrapped up their I-League 2 season with a gripping final clash against SAT at the Bambolim Stadium on Friday. The club, currently topping the Goa Professional League standings, fell short despite a strong performance with the match ending 3-2 in favor of SAT.
Sporting lined up with Siddarth Rana in goal, supported by defenders Kunal Kundaikar, Myron Fernandes, Sairuat Kima and Joyner Lourenco. The midfield saw Biswa Darjee, Sushil Meitei, Dattaraj Gaonkar and Givson Singh dictating play while Doyal Alves and Semboi Haokip led the attack. The substitutes’ bench featured Abhimanyu (GK), Joel, Joyson G, Joyson C, Jonas, Rohan,Vikram and Myron.
The first half was a thrilling display of attacking football from both sides, with Sporting taking a narrow lead into the break.
The match got off to a fast-paced start as Sporting Clube de Goa took the lead in the 20th minute. A precise pass from Semboi Haokip found Doyal Alves, who expertly placed the ball into the back of the net, giving Sporting the advantage.
However, the lead was short-lived. Just five minutes later, in the 25th minute, Aqib Nawab from SAT Tirur responded with a brilliant shot that leveled the score at 1-1. Both teams then exchanged several near misses, with headers flying just over the crossbar, highlighting the intensity of the contest.
In the 34th minute, Sporting Clube de Goa’s goalkeeper, Rana, made a crucial save to deny Nawab’s attempt from a corner. Shortly after, SAT had another corner kick, but the subsequent shot missed the target, leaving the score level at 1-1.
The breakthrough came in the 37th minute when sporting’s midfielder Givson Singh delivered a perfectly executed slanted strike, putting the hosts back in the lead as the half ended 2-1 in their favor.
The second half saw SAT Tirur equalize in the 71st minute, as captain Senthamil slotted home a composed finish, making it 2-2. With the match on a knife's edge, Sabarin Bush delivered the decisive blow in the 89th minute, firing a powerful shot from the center to give SAT Tirur a 3-2 lead. Despite Sporting Clube de Goa’s relentless efforts, the visitors held on to secure the victory.
