Calangute Veterans Edge Mandrem 8-6 on Penalties in Nerul Veterans Soccer Cup
Calangute: Calangute Veterans held their nerve to beat Mandrem Veterans 8-6 in a penalty shootout after a dramatic 2-2 draw in the Nerul Veterans Soccer Cup at the Verem Panchayat ground on Thursday. It was a match of two halves, played with high intensity and late drama, which saw Calangute take an early lead only for Mandrem to snatch a comeback in the dying minutes before losing out in the tie-breaker.
Calangute Veterans came out flying and took the lead in the very first minute. They doubled their advantage in the 30th minute through Seby Fernandes, who finished clinically to put Calangute 2-0 up at the break. Mandrem struggled defensively for large parts of the game, with their goalkeeper having an off day.
But the side refused to give up. In a stunning finale, Mandrem striker Remy Fernandes produced the heroics, netting twice in the last two minutes of regulation time to drag his team back from the brink and force the game into penalties at 2-2.The shootout was equally tense. Calangute converted 6 of their spot-kicks while Mandrem managed 4, handing Calangute Veterans a 8-6 win overall and a place in the next round.Despite being on the losing side, Remy Fernandes’ late brace earned him praise as the standout performer of the match.The Nerul Veterans Soccer Cup continues to see closely contested games, with veteran teams showing that competitive spirit is very much alive on the Goan football circuit.
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