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Salgaocar SC survived a stiff resistance from hopefuls Pune FC to qualify for the semi-finals of the Federation Cup here at the JRD Tata Sports Complex on Monday (September 24).
For Salgaocar, Luciano Sabrosa and Anthony D’Souza netted the goals while it was Douhou Pierre with the solitary goal for Pune FC.
It was end to end stuff from the first whistle with both Salgaocar and Pune FC looking to go for the kill. The result of this was goals at both ends within twelve minutes of play. It was the defending champions’ skipper Sabrosa who opened the scoring as early as in the seventh minute, heading down a well placed cross into the box to perfection.
Sabrosa’s counterpart Pierre returned the favour five minutes later to bring the high voltage clash back on level terms.
In a bid to rush take the lead for the first time in the match, the men in red exposed their defense too much and in the 27th minute of the match they paid the price. D’Souza — continuing from where he left in the last match — latched on to a cross from the right flank to slot home into the far post with goalkeeper Amrinder Singh at his mercy.
Salgoacar looked determined to hold on to their lead and in the process qualify for the last four. With the second half barely 9 minutes old, India’s No.2 under the bar Karanjit Singh pulled off a magnificent save to keep Pune –looking to crawl their way back into the match – at bay.
Matching him was Amrinder at the other end. He closed down substitute Gilbert Oliviera in not time after the latter was set up perfectly by another substitute Angel Guirado in the dying minutes of the match.
Salgaocar finish their engagements in Jamshedpur with full points from three matches while Pune remain on four from same number of games.
Salgaocar 2 (Luciano Sabrosa – 7th, Anthony D’Souza – 27th)
beat
Pune FC 1 (Douhou Pierre – 12th)
