GOA: Sporting Clube de Goa ended their final home game of the season on a high they registered a thumping 5-2 victory against Shillong Lajong at the Fatorda Stadium.
Three changes were in store for Sporting Clube de Goa as Marcus Mascarenhas, Efemena Charles, and Denson Devadas made way for Pratesh Shirodkar and Sumeet Passi.
Thangboi Singto had just the two changes to bring into effect as Fabio Pena and Konsham Singh made into the starting eleven at the expense of Robin Gurung and Bipin Singh. Sporting hit the gas early in the first minute as Mehrajuddin Wadoo put the home side ahead after he rose well to a Rowllin Borges free-kick from 30 yards to head it beyond Vishal Kaith.
The home side changed the gear to increase their grip over the game and nearly did the same in the 17th minute after Rowllin Borges played a perfect diagonal pass to Ganesh Thakur, who swung the perfect ball into the danger area, but Passi wasn’t present where he should have been.
Mateus Costa’s men weren’t going to be denied for too long as they doubled their advantage four minutes later through Sumeet Passi. It was Pratesh Shirodkar yet again who swung in the right ball in the box and Passi rose well to make it 2-0.
Shillong Lajong’s hopes to get back into the game evaporated in the afternoon in the 29th minute when Uilliams was sent off for a stamp on Minutes later, Sporting made it 3-0 after Passi tapped one in from a close distance, taking his personal tally for the game to two goals. Thakur sent a great cross in from the right and the U-22 striker did the damage work with an authority.
At half-time, the scoreline remained 3-0 but there was more action to come in the second half of proceedings.
The second half began in the similar fashion with the Flaming Oranje dominating the proceedings.
Sporting wouldn’t have to wait for too long in the second half as an unmarked Subashish Bose converted from another Borges free-kick in the 65th minute.
As it seemed to be the biggest win for the Flaming Oranje in the ongoing Hero I-League, Penn Orji scored one in the 77th minute after catching Arindam Bhattacharya wrong-footed from the edge of the box.
He wasn’t done with his contribution to the evening’s goal tally as he volleyed one from 35 yards out with an outstep finish which left Arindam and the rest of the Sporting contingent.
If there was any doubt of a Lajong revival, it was put away by Mahmoud Al-Amna scoring from the spot with a cheeky chipped attempt after Rowlin Borges was brought down in the box by Nim Dorjee Tamang.
Sporting Clube de Goa signed off their home run with a clinical performance against Shillong Lajong, who were basking in the valiant display against the defending champions Mohun Bagan in the last round. With two games to go, the Flaming Oranje jump to the fourth spot with 18 points when Lajong drop two places to the sixth spot with 15 points from 14 games.
