Recently-crowned MSSA U-16 champions beat the Fort-based college in a DSO match.
Recently crowned MSSA U-16 Champions, Don Bosco Matunga beat St Xaviers College, Fort in the DSO U-17 inter-school football tournament on Tuesday. The game ended goalless and had to be decided via penalty shootout, in which Bosco beat Xaviers 3-0.
Although neither of the teams managed to get on to the score sheet, the game was thoroughly entertaining with both sides playing attacking football. The match also saw some resolute defensive display from both sides resulting in the blank scoresheet.
In a surprising move, central midfielder Floyd Pereira took the gloves from the usual Bosco goalkeeper Mahir Singh and stood between the posts for the Matunga outfit. Pereira managed to save a penalty from Rohan Mattews, while Brendin Gonsalvis and Elwin Vaz failed to hit the target. Akash Thakker, Raynier Fernandes and Merick Fernandes took the penalties for Don Bosco, all their kicks found the back of the net.
Incidentally five of the St Xavier’s players are ex-students of Don Bosco and have played under coach Leslie Machado. Machado said after the game, “It was a good game, I knew the opponent very well because five of our ex-students play for the college team.”
“Knowing how they play, it helped us counter them even though they had height advantage over us,” said Machado.
When asked about the change of keeper for penalty shootouts, the Don Bosco coach said that both of Pereira and Singh are equally good but the former can psyche the opponent out with his movement on the line and hence was a better choice for the shootout.
The hero of the day for Don Bosco, Floyd Pereira said after the game, “I generally keep in penalty shootouts. I am considered a specialist for shootouts by the team.”
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