Panaji: Sporting Clube de Goa remained glued to the third spot on the I-League 2 table, but with their opponents dropping points, the Goan side has been left with some hope after scripting a 1-0 win against Tiddim Road Athletic Union (TRAU) at Khuman Lampak Stadium, Imphal, on Thursday.
The top two teams qualify for next season’s I-League. With just three games left to be played, Sporting (25 points, 13 matches) are now five points behind Chanmari FC (30 from 14), but crucially have a game in hand. Should the Goan side win the next one, the gap would be just two points with two rounds left to be played.
Diamond Harbour are sitting pretty at the top with 30 points from 12 matches.
Sporting left it late against TRAU in Manipur with Vikram Venkatachalam scoring the only goal of the match in the 88th minute.
Sporting began on an impressive note as Vikram threaded a precise pass to Naocha, but the attack came to nothing. Another cross soon took a deflection off Vikram and dropped just beyond Naocha, as another chance was missed.
As the first half was drawing to a close, Doyal Alves created another chance. This time, he laid the ball for Sushil Metei, whose shot sailed over the post.
The first half ended goalless, with both teams failing to find the back of the net.
In the second half, Sporting pushed hard for a breakthrough, knowing that only full points will keep them in the qualification race.
Six minutes into the second half, captain Dattaraj Gaonkar took a shot following a corner from midfielder Biswa, but he ended up overhitting the ball as it sailed wide of the target.
Towards the closing stages, Vikram came close with a powerful volley that rattled the crossbar. Then, with only two minutes left to be played, Vikram finally found the breakthrough, netting his second goal of the season—first from open play—to give Sporting an important lifeline in an intense battle for I-League qualification.
Sporting will next face Neroca FC on April 11 at Khuman Lampak Stadium in Manipur.
The top two teams qualify for next season’s I-League. With just three games left to be played, Sporting (25 points, 13 matches) are now five points behind Chanmari FC (30 from 14), but crucially have a game in hand. Should the Goan side win the next one, the gap would be just two points with two rounds left to be played.
Diamond Harbour are sitting pretty at the top with 30 points from 12 matches.
Sporting left it late against TRAU in Manipur with Vikram Venkatachalam scoring the only goal of the match in the 88th minute.
Sporting began on an impressive note as Vikram threaded a precise pass to Naocha, but the attack came to nothing. Another cross soon took a deflection off Vikram and dropped just beyond Naocha, as another chance was missed.
As the first half was drawing to a close, Doyal Alves created another chance. This time, he laid the ball for Sushil Metei, whose shot sailed over the post.
The first half ended goalless, with both teams failing to find the back of the net.
In the second half, Sporting pushed hard for a breakthrough, knowing that only full points will keep them in the qualification race.
Six minutes into the second half, captain Dattaraj Gaonkar took a shot following a corner from midfielder Biswa, but he ended up overhitting the ball as it sailed wide of the target.
Towards the closing stages, Vikram came close with a powerful volley that rattled the crossbar. Then, with only two minutes left to be played, Vikram finally found the breakthrough, netting his second goal of the season—first from open play—to give Sporting an important lifeline in an intense battle for I-League qualification.
Sporting will next face Neroca FC on April 11 at Khuman Lampak Stadium in Manipur.
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