Curtorim: In a tense and evenly matched contest, Jolly Boys of Sinaibhag secured a hard-fought 3-0 victory via a penalty shootout against Madel Sports Club to book their spot in the quarterfinals of the 2nd Caniza Peixoto Memorial Football Tournament. The tournament, organised by Black Arrow Boys Agxem Sports Club, is being played at the St. Alex Church Ground in Curtorim.
Both sides played aggressive, attacking football throughout the regulation time but failed to convert their chances, with the match ending in a goalless draw after 70 minutes of regulation time.
Jolly Boys came close to opening the scoring as early as the 2nd minute when Shubert sent a long ball to Elson, who, despite being well-positioned, fired the shot over the crossbar. In the 20th minute, Madel’s Saish Korgaonkar delivered a perfect pass to an unmarked Regan, but his shot was collected comfortably by the Sinaibhag goalkeeper.
The first half ended 0-0, with both teams creating chances but lacking the finishing touch.
The second half saw more missed opportunities from both camps. Joy, Clifton, and Asher of Madel squandered good chances, while Jolly Boys’ own forwards—Asher, Clifton, and Joy—also failed to break the deadlock. Despite an intense battle in midfield and several close calls, neither team managed to find the back of the net, leading to a penalty shootout to decide the winner.
In the tiebreaker, Jolly Boys of Sinaibhag held their nerve as Joeban, Ryan, and Nathan converted their spot-kicks with clinical precision. On the other hand, Madel Sports Club faltered under pressure, missing all their penalty attempts.
Despite his team’s defeat, Saish Korgaonkar of Madel SC was named the Man of the Match for his stellar all-round performance. The award was presented by Standly Fernandes, a member of Agxem Sports Club.
With this win, Jolly Boys of Sinaibhag advance to the quarterfinals, while Madel SC bow out despite a spirited display.
