Salgaocar defeat JCT 1-0, Sporting destroy Army XI

Kolkata, Dec 19 (UNI) Army XI were blown away by an orange twister Sporting Clube de Goa, who decimated the opponents 4-0 here today.

In the other match of the Peerless Federation tonight, Fransis Fernandez header in second half header saw Salgaocar edged past fighting JCT Mills 1-0.

From the first move of the match, Ernest Jeremiah put Sporting ahead and the roller coaster ride continued. When Jeremiah outran his marker and folowed it with a blockbuster that had no anser for the army keeper Robikanth Singh.

The match was only 20 seconds old.

There was a lull after the first goal, as Army XI tried to regroup. One minute after the half-hour mark, Harmanjot Khabra scored Sporting's second goal. Jeremiah and Borges were again involved in the move. Khabra gave direction to a Borges's volley from a Jeremiah back-centre. Seven minutes later the scoreline read 3-0. Joseph Pereira played a long ball from the midfield, Khabra did well to control it and unleash a powerful grounder that was spot on.

The Army side looked shell shocked, as the Sporting players toyed with their dying spirits. The combination of Jeremiah, Khabra and Borges ran amock and the absence of goal machine, Dudu Omaguemi was hardly felt.

The breather brought little relief, for the Army lads. But the onslaught continued. Borges also made his way into the score sheet, scoring in the 55th minute. Jeremiah got the better of the Army defence and found Borges. The lanky medio's lob from a distance carved in past an out of position Robikanta.

Army orchestrated a rare foray two minutes later. Substitute Raghu Kumar lobbed the ball for a darting Vijay Thapa, but Sporting goalkeeper Felix D'Souza blocked his shot. The loose ball fell nicely for Thirunavajarsu. But he launched the ball into the empty stands.

UNI BA PC SK GC2146