Date:04/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/04/stories/2007040408312000.htm

Sport - Football

Salgaocar puts it across Vasco

Principal Correspondent

KOZHIKODE: Salgaocar did no harm to its chances of qualifying for the NFL first division football when it defeated Vasco 2-1 here on Tuesday.

The win took Salgaocar to the top of the table of the NFL second division with eight points and a game in hand. Viva Kerala, which has two games left in the six-team league, has six points. Vasco and Chirag have four points apiece, but the former has played a game more.

With five matches remaining, the race for the two spots in next season's premier league is hotting up.

Early lead

Vasco raised hopes of an upset when it took the lead in the first minute when Alvito Rodrigues headed home a Queterio Pango corner. Salgaocar, however, counter-attacked quickly enough, finding the equaliser within three minutes through a Francis Fernandes header, following a throw-in taken by Remus Gomes.

The two early goals gave a great start to the game. No more goals came in the opening half despite the best efforts from both the sides.

Salgaocar scored another goal in the opening minute of the second-half. An unmarked Francis Andrade struck from close in after being fed by Remus, which proved to be the winner.

Vasco pressed hard to make the scores even, but Salgaocar defended stoutly, as Julius Akpele, Angelo Colaco, Nicolau Colaco and the impressive Remus worked hard. They did pretty well to mark Keke Ibrahim, the dangerous Vasco striker.