Ronaldinho scores 5 in Goa 5s’ 7-2 win over Bengaluru 5s

by Nancy Singh July 18, 2016

Awestruck when Goa 5s won against Bengaluru 5’s score-line being 7-2 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai with a victorious five goals performance by the legend Ronaldinho, the best Premier Futsal game so far. Double treat for the fans, Ronaldinho and Paul Scholes sharing the pitch after 8 years.

The Brazilian had disappointed in the first game, struggling to hold on the ball but looked sharp from the start, setting up teammate Rafeal who struck the post in the opening minute, a bright start for Goa.

The Barcelona legend had the crowd in high spirit with a brilliant goal in the 6th minute, as a corner from the left was laid off to him in the box, but he went past the goalkeeper and slotted into an empty net to give Goa the lead. Bengaluru came back right at the end of the first quarter, as Maximiliano scored a brilliant solo goal, slotting from a narrow-angle after a quick stepover past the keeper.

The second quarter started with Bengaluru taking the lead through Jonathan Piers, who collected a pass and slammed it home with his left foot. Bengaluru lead was soon taken over as Ronaldinho scored with a clean and cautious shot when surrounded by two defenders and a diving keeper. The Brazilian legend then completed his hat-trick giving Goa a comeback lead with a reflex shot. Rafael set Ronaldinho up with an accurate pass sending the Chennai crowd wild, with the score at the end of the second quarter, Goa leading 3-2.

Paul Scholes struggled to influence the game in the third quarter, Goa toying with the Bengaluru defence, with a series of keepy-ups and dribbling run. Scholes responding with a calm nutmeg, before setting up Jonathan with a lofted cross-field ball, but the Bengaluru forward’s shot at an open goal was weak and cleared off the line.

In the 32nd minute, Ronaldinho lofting the ball over a defender and into the net with Bengaluru keeper Elias stranded upfield. Yet another Indian player made the scoresheet with Marshall making it 5-2 moments later tapping the ball from a yard out after Vampeta’s shot.

Vampeta repeated the trick at the end, seeing up Rafael to volley home the sixth for Goa, with Ronaldinho also having the time to miss a late penalty, before slotting home his fifth of the night from a counter. The third quarter saw a lot of end to end play with both marquee players showing their experience in keeping the ball, definitely a bliss for football fans.

The legend was well celebrated by the fans after the game with cheers. Premier futsal lifting up the spirits of thousand here.