Team Goemkarponn
Betalbatim: A sensational hat-trick by Kanaya Govenkar propelled St. Anthony Marna Siolim into the quarterfinals of the 4th Betalbatim Villagers Cup, as they trounced St. Anthony Club Colva 6-2 in a high-scoring encounter at the Panchayat ground in Betalbatim.
St. Anthony Colva opened the scoring early in the 3rd minute through Shawn Thattazhi, giving his side a promising start. However, their momentum was disrupted in the 24th minute when Kabir Khan inadvertently turned the ball into his own net, bringing the score to 1-1.
Marna Siolim seized the opportunity and took the lead just before the half-time whistle, with Kanaya Govenkar finding the net in the 35th minute to make it 2-1 going into the break.
After the restart, it was all Marna Siolim as they took complete control of the game. Yash Simepurushkar struck twice in quick succession – first in the 38th minute and again in the 39th – to extend their lead to 4-1. Govenkar then returned to the spotlight, scoring in the 50th and 54th minutes to complete his hat-trick and push the scoreline to a commanding 6-1.
Though Shawn Thattazhi added a late consolation goal for Colva in the dying minutes to complete his own brace, it wasn’t enough to prevent a dominant win for Marna Siolim.
Kanaya Govenkar was named Man of the Match for his outstanding hat-trick performance. The award was presented by Fr. Luciano Falcao of the Pilar Fathers.
With this emphatic victory, St. Anthony Marna Siolim booked their place in the quarterfinals, sending a strong message to their rivals in the tournament.
