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SPORT-SANTOSH-GOA Pereira strikes hat-trick as Goa crushes Assam 6-0 KOCHI, NOV 15 (PTI) Maintaining their superb form, former champions Goa made mincemeat of Assam before winning 6-0 in a Group IV quarter-final league match in the Air India Express National Football Championship for Santosh trophy at the FACT grounds in Udyogamandal today. Star striker Antony Pereira scored four goals, including a hat-trick (12th, 26th, 45th, 53rd), while Climax Lawrence converted a penalty (16th). Clifford Miranda (25th) was the other scorer. Assam, who had derailed Railways to emerge Cluster IV winners, became the first team to bow out of the quarter-final league as this was their second consecutive defeat after losing their opening match against Manipur 1-3. The professional players of Goa proved too good for their rivals, who missed their star midfielder Monikanta Brahma due to an ankle injury. The absence of Brahma, who hit a hat-trick against Chattisgarh, had a telling effect on the team. Three-time champions Goa, started off from where they left off at Kozhikode, where they scored 32 goals from three matches on their way to winning the cluster VII. With quite a few international stars in their ranks, the Goans looked quite pretty with their movement and their tackles and interceptions were executed to perfection. Goan's star striker Freddy Mascarenhas, who had struck eight goals in as many matches, seemed off-colour today, as he messed up a couple of chances from close. Assam should thank their goalkeeper Belifung Narzary for preventing a much bigger margin with his alterness and good anticipation. -- Cheers, Gabe Menezes. London, England
