GOA: Sporting Clube de Goa continued their winless run in the Hero I-League as they drew against Aizawl FC at the Fatorda Stadium. Alfred opened the scoring for the away side in the 28th minute, which was cancelled out by Mahmoud Al Amna eight minutes later.
Odafa Okolie, the seasoned striker for the Flaming Oranje, could not recover in time for the game and Efemena Charles, the new signing, started the game but he failed to impress through the course of the game.
Charles got his first sight at goal in the second minute itself but Lalwampuia saw it off at the last minute. Marcus Mascarenhas played a delightful through ball for the striker but his finishing was not up to the mark.
Alfred had the first proper sniff at the goal in the 23rd minute when he tried to chip Arindam Bhattacharya from the edge of the box, but the veteran keeper stood tall and palmed it off.
However, the Liberian striker put the Highlanders ahead in the 28th minute. Having beaten three Sporting Clube de Goa defenders, Joel Sunday led the counter attack and Alfred did the rest with much composure.
Sporting got back immediately into the game through the captain, Mahmoud Al Amna. The Syrian played a delightful one-two with Marcus on the edge of the box and after a little piece of skill in the box, he slotted it past the goalkeeper.
Victorino Fernandes was brought on for Rowllin Borges at the end of the first half to infuse more attacking contingent but the move did not pay off any positive dividends.
At half time, the score remained level pegging at 1-1. The second half began in pedestrian pace with Aizawl FC deciding to sit back and see the game out in humid conditions.
The first chance of the second half came in the 70th minute when Victorino Fernandes was sent clear on the left-hand side by a through ball but he had no support in the middle. Denson Devadas received the first yellow card in the 70th minute which defines how the game turned out.
There was no drama left towards the end of the game as the two sides played out a 1-1 draw. With the hard-earned point, Aizawl FC soar up to the sixth spot with 13 points playing 14 games where the hosts sit firmly at the fifth spot having earned two points more having played one match less.
I-League Media
