Eight different scorers – including goal keeper Candice Fernandes – netted for Father Agnel’s (Red) in a resounding 11-0 victory for the league leaders over Steadfast Academy to finish with a perfect six wins out of six at the end of their regular season campaign in the Women’s Football League.

 

Adjectives like ‘beautiful’, ‘flawless’, ’unbelievable’ and ‘exceptional’ are in danger of being blatantly clichéd while reporting on games featuring the all-conquering red-and-whites this season. The events that played out on the dusty tracks of the St. Xavier’s ground marked the coming of age of a team that has mastered the taming of a football and transformed the game into an art form.

Minutes from kick-off, the league’s top scorer Blanka Barretto got her name on the scoresheet for the ninth time this season with a simple tap-in after some great build-up play. The lead would double two minutes later thanks to an absolute screamer from skipper Rocky Maymol. Her delightful chip from thirty five yards out sailed over the keeper and into the top corner of the net. Goal! 2-0.

The girls notched up their third thanks to a trademark piece of skill by midfielder Sharon Fernandes, who, after taking on the entire Steadfast defence, rounded off the keeper in a one-on-one situation to finish into an empty net. Three became four as early as the 17th minute after Grace Rodrigues’ first time strike off a cross rocketed into the corner of the net. 

  

Twenty minutes on the clock and Blanka Barreto raked up Father Agnel’s milestone fifth of the game and simultaneously, her tenth of the season. Replicating Sharon’s effort from minutes earlier, she effortlessly breezed past the keeper in a one-on-one and blasted into an empty goal. 5-0.

Solo goals seemed to be the order of the day when Rocky added Agnel’s sixth following yet another mazy run down the middle followed by an emphatic finish. As the girls continued their relentless siege on the Steafast goal, Sujita Murgaonkar was at hand to strike home from a narrow angle to make it 7-0 to Agnels.

To the credit, the Steadfast girls worked hard and played to the best of their ability however were outplayed by the physical prowess and superior technical ability of the Agnels girls. Little Neha Ture put in a valiant performance for the blue and yellows through out the game.  

 

The girls closed out the half in spectacular fashion after Sharon scored off a cross by Rocky to make it 8-0 at the interval. 

The second half resembled something directly off the Agnels training ground as the girls dominated possession and kept passing the ball around for long periods at a stretch.

 

Shahina Khan grabbed the ninth – following a string of misses – after a neat finish to beat the keeper from the edge of the area. 

The milestone tenth arrived after an Agnel’s forward was brought down inside the box and  goal keeper Candice Fernandes stepped up to take the resulting penalty, emphatically despatching it into the top corner. Goal! 10-0.

  

Record Breakers 

Following a close range strike, Elwina Miranda became the eighth name on the scoresheet as Agnel’s stepped down a couple of notches but still managed to post a record breaking 11-0 as the referee’s whistle sounded for full time.

Father Agnel’s (Red) finished their regular season with a perfect 18 points from six games, scoring 36 goals in the process - astonishing average of 6.0 goals per game – the best figures in the league this season.