Sensational Scott D’Souza powers Central Bank of India to a win over Dena Bank

by Kaushal Shukla January 20, 2015

Central Bank of India beat Dena Bank 2-0 thanks to a second half brace from their striker Scott D’Souza in an Elite Division game of the Mumbai District Football Association (MDFA) at Cooperage in the early morning kick off on 19th January 2015.

Central Bank of India and Dena Bank came into this game on the back of heavy defeats at the hands of Karnataka Sporting Association and Air India respectively.

After a slow start to the game, CBI thought they had taken the lead in the 7th minute, but their goal was disallowed for offside. Five minutes later, Dena Bank went very close to opening the scoring when Pramod Yadav unleashed a powerful strike at the CBI goal which their goalkeeper Sarfaraz Ansari tipped over the crossbar.
CBI made a great surge on goal in the 18th minute as they threatened to open the Dena Bank defence, but they overcooked the move allowing Dena Bank to clear the danger.

The game was being played at a very slow pace and both side were lacking any kind of spark as the game went past the half hour mark. CBI appealed for a penalty in the 37th minute, when the Dena bank goalkeeper seemed to have fouled Hitesh Chodankar in the box. The referee waved off the appeals. It was a good decision by the referee as Hitesh Chodankar had lost the control of the ball when the tackle came in.

A minute later, CBI’s Melwin Vaz put the ball in the back of the net, but the CBI player who passed it to Melwin Vaz was in a offside position and the scores remained level as the referee signaled the end of the first half which had very little to offer.

Central Bank’s Scott D’Souza did brilliantly to get to the goal line and get past the Dena Bank right back in the 47th minute, but his shot from a very tight angle was blocked. It was a selfish bit of play from the CBI forward.
Dena Bank’s Druwesh Nijap was booked in the 53rd minute for a nasty foul on a CBI player. It was a dangerous challenge from the Dena Bank defender and was lucky to stay on the pitch.

The game was very physical and constant stoppages were affecting the flow of the game. Scott D’Souza missed a great opportunity to put CBI ahead in the 57th minute, as he fired a shot from close range straight at the Dena Bank goalkeeper. It was a poor miss from the CBI striker.

CBI finally broke the deadlock in the 66th minute when Scott D’Souza neatly controlled a cross from substitute Charles M. from the right, to bundle home from close range. CBI looked the likelier team to score in the game and they did find that extra bit of quality post the hour mark.

CBI doubled their lead in the 72nd minute, when Scott D’Souza did brilliantly to get on the end of a clearance from Sarfaraz Ansari as he turned and fired the ball in the net with a fine strike from twenty five yards out. It was a brilliant goal from Scott D’Souza who clearly was the difference between the two sides.

CBI replaced their hero of the game, Scott D’Souza in the 82nd minute with Nadeem Ansari as they looked to see off the remaining minutes.

CBI held on for a comfortable win in the end against a listless Dena Bank outfit who did not pose any threat to the CBI goal throughout the game.