Golden Eagles finish Group A with three hard-fought draws
PANAJI
Dempo Sports Club concluded their AIFF Super Cup 2025 campaign on a proud note, remaining unbeaten in Group A after a 1-1 draw against Indian Super League side Chennaiyin FC at the GMC Athletic Stadium, Bambolim, on Friday.
Heading into their final group fixture, the Golden Eagles needed a massive win margin of five goals or more to keep their faint qualification hopes alive, depending on results elsewhere. While the dream of progressing to the semifinals ultimately slipped away, the side showcased grit, discipline, and consistency throughout the tournament finishing with three draws in as many matches.
Speaking after the full time, Dempo SC coach Samir Naik said, “Overall, it was a good performance. To compete against top Indian teams, especially sides with players who have played in the World Cup, is a big achievement. In the second game, Mohun Bagan couldn’t open us up. Even in the first game, East Bengal had no clear chances; it was only when we lost focus that they scored. This game too, there were no openings. Credit to all the players they kept working hard, maintained their shape well, stayed disciplined and gave everything on the pitch,” Naik said.
The coach also highlighted how his side adapted to positional challenges throughout the competition.
“The experience we got from competing in this tournament is invaluable. We didn’t have our normal stopper-backs, but we never felt their absence. I have full confidence that my players will continue to give their best in any position they play in. In this tournament, I played with one regular stopper-back, M. Ali, while Pruthvesh, who usually plays right-back, stepped in as a centre-back and he did very well,” he added.
Dempo started the game firmly and took the lead in the 25th minute when Shubham Rawat produced a moment of brilliance, curling home a stunning free-kick into the top corner against the run of play. However, Chennaiyin found an unusual equaliser just three minutes later when their goalkeeper Samik Mitra scored directly from a goal-kick a rare moment that left the home crowd stunned.
The second half saw end-to-end action with both sides creating chances, but neither could find the breakthrough. Despite the draw, Dempo’s resilience and structured play stood out once again, with skipper Ariston Costa marshalling the midfield and young talents like Vieri Colaco and Knerkitalang Buam continuing to impress.
Reflecting on the campaign, the Golden Eagles can take pride in their performances against some of the country’s strongest teams remaining unbeaten in the group stage and earning three valuable points. They might not have managed to beat their opponents, but they ensured that nobody could beat them either.
With this result, Dempo SC sign off from the Super Cup 2025 with their heads held high a campaign marked by belief, balance and the unmistakable fighting spirit of Goan football.
