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Federation Cup: JCT Two Good For Sporting
JCT downed I-League leaders Sporting Clube De Goa convincingly in their opening Group C encounter of the 30th Federation Cup at the Barasat Stadium, Kolkata. JCT 2-0 Sporting Clube De Goa.
11-Dec-2008 5:30:25 PM
Sporting Clube
De Goa were missing Junior Elijah as Nathaniel Amos and Luciano Sobroza were
registered as the two foreign players. JCT started with Gurwinder Singh in the central
defence as Anwar was out to a groin injury.
JCT did look livelier of the two sides with Baljit Sahni being back after a long injury lay off. In the second minute, he made a darting run almost into the Sporting box but his teasing cross was wasted as Sakatar Singh couldn’t come close to even touching the ball.
Sporting Clube De Goa did have two flag-kicks with Joseph Pereira’s delivery being headed by the two foreigners – Luciano Sobroza and Nathaniel Amos but with no real threat.
Both teams were trying to settle down but mispasses were the order of the day. The two teams were busy cancelling each other’s play but couldn’t build much in the final third. At this point, JCT striker Balwant Singh was caught in an offside position on at least three occasions and the frustration was just creeping up.
The Punjab side took lead out of nowhere off a Jaspal Singh corner-kick. Balwant’s header hit Remus Gomes and Julius’s final shot kissed the JCT number nine’s head to go in.
The goal was a wake-up call for Sporting who now began to take some control of the midfield with Harmanjot Khabra and Bibiano Fernandes being in the thick of action. A Remus Gomes’ floater from the half line found Amos whose header towards Joychandra in the box produced nothing.
A fine move on the left by Daljit and Baljit saw the latter laying it off for Balwant whose final shot went over the bar. JCT doubled their lead when Julius Akpele’s diagonal ball from behind saw Eduardo get behind the Sporting back-line and sent in a fierce right footer to find the target.
Balwant Singh could have scored another off a Jaspal Singh cross from the right but his header wasn’t firm to disturb Sporting custodian Felix D’Souza. Baljit Sahni scored in the 45th minute but the goal was rightly disallowed as offside.
Four minutes into the second half and Edaurdo Da Silva was at it again as his 25 yarder from the left was stopped by Felix D’Souza after Jagpreet Singh won the ball in the middle third.
The Brazilian initiated a fine counterattack from his own half as he weaved past a few Sporting players to release Sakatar Singh. The winder’s cross was taken on half volley by Edaurdo Da Silva and only just missed the target.
Julius Akpele, who was involved in both goals scored by JCT, picked up the pieces of a corner kick and from the left sent in a cross which was headed by Eduardo Da Silva. Sadly, for the Punjab side there was none to put in.
Sporting coach brought on Micky Fernandes for Remus Gomes to boost the attack but not much changed except that he was the first player for his side to hit the ball on target in the 67th minute.
Nathaniel Amos couldn’t do much in the game and picked up a booking when he protested a decision by banging the ball in front of the official.
Towards the end of the game, Felipe Gomes under pressure from substitute Randeep Singh sent the ball towards the edge of the box. Sporting custodian Felix D’Souza brought down Balwant Singh and entered the referee’s books. Jagpreet Singh saw his effort from the set piece go over the bar.
Goalscorers JCT: Balwant Singh (23rd min) and Edaurdo Da Silva (40th min)
JCT did look livelier of the two sides with Baljit Sahni being back after a long injury lay off. In the second minute, he made a darting run almost into the Sporting box but his teasing cross was wasted as Sakatar Singh couldn’t come close to even touching the ball.
Sporting Clube De Goa did have two flag-kicks with Joseph Pereira’s delivery being headed by the two foreigners – Luciano Sobroza and Nathaniel Amos but with no real threat.
Both teams were trying to settle down but mispasses were the order of the day. The two teams were busy cancelling each other’s play but couldn’t build much in the final third. At this point, JCT striker Balwant Singh was caught in an offside position on at least three occasions and the frustration was just creeping up.
The Punjab side took lead out of nowhere off a Jaspal Singh corner-kick. Balwant’s header hit Remus Gomes and Julius’s final shot kissed the JCT number nine’s head to go in.
The goal was a wake-up call for Sporting who now began to take some control of the midfield with Harmanjot Khabra and Bibiano Fernandes being in the thick of action. A Remus Gomes’ floater from the half line found Amos whose header towards Joychandra in the box produced nothing.
A fine move on the left by Daljit and Baljit saw the latter laying it off for Balwant whose final shot went over the bar. JCT doubled their lead when Julius Akpele’s diagonal ball from behind saw Eduardo get behind the Sporting back-line and sent in a fierce right footer to find the target.
Balwant Singh could have scored another off a Jaspal Singh cross from the right but his header wasn’t firm to disturb Sporting custodian Felix D’Souza. Baljit Sahni scored in the 45th minute but the goal was rightly disallowed as offside.
Four minutes into the second half and Edaurdo Da Silva was at it again as his 25 yarder from the left was stopped by Felix D’Souza after Jagpreet Singh won the ball in the middle third.
The Brazilian initiated a fine counterattack from his own half as he weaved past a few Sporting players to release Sakatar Singh. The winder’s cross was taken on half volley by Edaurdo Da Silva and only just missed the target.
Julius Akpele, who was involved in both goals scored by JCT, picked up the pieces of a corner kick and from the left sent in a cross which was headed by Eduardo Da Silva. Sadly, for the Punjab side there was none to put in.
Sporting coach brought on Micky Fernandes for Remus Gomes to boost the attack but not much changed except that he was the first player for his side to hit the ball on target in the 67th minute.
Nathaniel Amos couldn’t do much in the game and picked up a booking when he protested a decision by banging the ball in front of the official.
Towards the end of the game, Felipe Gomes under pressure from substitute Randeep Singh sent the ball towards the edge of the box. Sporting custodian Felix D’Souza brought down Balwant Singh and entered the referee’s books. Jagpreet Singh saw his effort from the set piece go over the bar.
Goalscorers JCT: Balwant Singh (23rd min) and Edaurdo Da Silva (40th min)
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