Heartbreak for ROQS as late goal seals win for West Zone United

by Chittu Shetty September 9, 2023

The MFA Super Division clash between ROQS FC and West Zone United FC proved to be a rollercoaster of emotions, ultimately ending in a 2-1 victory for West Zone United.

The game was a tale of missed opportunities and late-game drama, leaving the ROQS faithful heartbroken for the second time in as many matches.

Early Action:

The match began with West Zone United on the front foot. In the very first minute, Paritosh sent Shaingayal through on goal, but ROQS keeper Aditya came off his line to challenge. Shaingayal managed to dodge past him but saw his shot from a tight angle roll just wide of the target.

However, ROQS quickly turned the tide in their favor. In the 4th minute, they took the lead when Maanit seized a loose ball outside the box and played a quick pass to Pranit, who turned and unleashed a powerful shot from just outside the box. The ball beat the keeper and nestled into the bottom left corner.

Both teams had their chances in the first half, with Sujal hitting a shot straight at the keeper for ROQS, and Jay Rawat sending his effort wide for West Zone United.

Equalizer for West Zone:

In the 20th minute, West Zone United found their equalizer. Abhinav Kumar’s free-kick from 25 yards out took a deflection off the wall and ended up in the net, leaving the ROQS keeper stranded and the scores level.

Nervy Moments:

Around the 30-minute mark, there were nervy moments for ROQS when a looping free-kick into their box was miscued wide by West Zone’s Paritosh after ROQS keeper came off his line but failed to clear the ball effectively.

Minutes before halftime, Pranit almost restored ROQS’s lead with a strike from close range, but the ball hit the top bar and bounced back into play, much to West Zone’s relief.

ROQS Dominance in the Second Half:

ROQS began the second half strongly, creating numerous chances. Parth’s cross from the right was well-headed towards goal by Andrew, but the West Zone goalkeeper parried it up as an alert ROQS midfielder managed to head in the rebound, The linesman raised the offside flag to cancel the goal.

Five minutes later, ROQS appeared to have scored again from a corner, but the goal was disallowed after the referee spotted a foul.

ROQS continued to dominate and came close to taking the lead in the 65th minute when substitute Jared Saldanwa’s volley from inside the box struck the top bar. Later in the game, Pranit Vyas found the net with a lofted chip shot, only to be ruled offside in a marginal call.

Late Drama:

As the game progressed, West Zone United began to find their footing and create chances. Jay’s shot was saved by the ROQS keeper, while Paritosh’s attempt was blocked by the center-backs.

In the 88th minute, against the run of play, Nandadeep Keer attempted a long-range shot from 35 yards out. With the ROQS keeper slightly out of position, the ball looped over him and dipped just in time to nestle into the net, breaking ROQS hearts for the second consecutive match.

Final Score: ROQS 1 – 2 West Zone United

Despite a valiant effort and late challenges to find an equalizer, ROQS FC suffered their second consecutive loss due to injury-time goals. The match showcased the determination and resilience of both teams in challenging weather conditions.

Team owner Rayna Dsouza commented on the game, saying, “This seems like snatching defeat from the jaws of victory! Our players, though they missed several chances, have come out learning from their mistakes. Determination and renewed hunger for winning motivates us to look forward to the upcoming matches.”

The result leaves ROQS FC seeking redemption in the next fixture, while West Zone United celebrates a hard-fought victory in the MFA Super Division.

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