Goa's Fransa Pax scored a 2-1 victory over Mohammedan Sporting of Kolkata to set up a meeting with Sporting Clube de Goa in the quarter-finals of the Federation Cup football tournament.
In the first match of the day, Sporting Clube beat State Bank of Travancore by a similar margin.
Fransa scored both their goals in the first half and then held on gamely in a keen match that lasted 98 minutes but culminated in a free-for-all, with Fransa goalkeeper Mark Mascarenhas being shown the red card after needlessly getting into a scuffle.
The players came to blows in the fourth minute of stoppage when Mohammedan Sporting captain Suley Musa head-butted Fransa right-wing back Peter Rodrigues after being dispossessed. As Mascarenhas collected the ball and was about the release it, Musa again nudged Rodrigues, at which Mascarenhas rushed towards Musa and all hell broke lose before the match officials intervened. Surprisingly Musa was left off without even warning.
Earlier, Fransa, who held a clear edge right though, forged ahead in the 26th minute through an own goal by Mohammedan defender Surajit Chakraborty and made it 2-0 at the stroke of half-time when Peter Carvalho headed the ball home home.
Jiten Rai reduced the margin for the Kolkata side in the 67th minute.
© 2024 Rediff.com -