Panaji : Kunal Salgaonkar’s brace and Joston Cardozo's last-gasp goal gave Goa 3-1 victory over fancied Maharashtra to win the bronze medal at the Khelo India Youth Games Guwahati U-21 football competition on Wednesday.
Starting strongly Maharashtra were outplayed by Goa's pace combined by aggressio, ball control and finish.
Kunal Salgaonkar opened the account for Goa in the 32nd minute of the game and again in the 39 th minute to make it 2-0.
However Maharashtra sprung back with a goal from the spot kick awarded to them in the 42nd minute due to rough tackle by a Goan defender in the 18-yard box.
Aman Gaekwad made no mistake and converted the spot kick to make it 2-1, and it remained that way till the lemon break.
Starting the second half, Goa looked to consolidate the position and increase the one-goal cushion. They played attacking football from the word go and finally added one more through Joston Cardozo in the 94th minute of the added time to make it 3-1.
This is Goa’s first medal in football, as in the 2nd edition at Pune, Goa were 4th overall.
"I’m very happy that the boys managed to win a medal for Goa , and bring some cheer back home . We dedicate this victory to people of Goa, our Goa Government headed by our Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Sports Minister Manohar Ajgaokar, Sports Secretary J Ashok Kumar (IAS) , Executive Director SAG V M Prabhudesai," said Monica Lobo e Dourado, Nodal officer of Sports Authority of Goa .
Goa finished with 12 medals at the Games as swimmers Shrungi Bandekar and Suman Patil added a bronze medal each on Wednesday. Shrungi and Suma, thus earned their third medal of the Games. Each of them had won a silver and a bronze earlier.