Pro League action between Dempo SC and Panjim Footballers on Thursday.
Photo Credits: The Goan Everyday
PANAJI
Dempo SC came from behind to down Panjim Footballers with a 3-1 win in the Goa Football Association Selvel Goa Professional League at Duler Stadium, Mapusa, on Thursday.
Beevan D'Mello scored a second-half brace (56', 58') and substitute Pedro Gonsalves added third (73') after Panjim took a first-half lead through Lloyd Cardozo in the 45th minute.
The opening minutes of the game saw the play being restricted to midfield. Dempo SC sounded a warning in the 12th minute from a set-piece. Richard Costa's corner found Amber Gonsalves, who managed to keep it low on the frame but it took a deflection off a Panjim defender and went out for a corner. The resultant corner was cleared by the Panjim defence. Dempo's Richard Costa forced a save from Preston in the following minute when he was set up on the right flank with a diagonal pass from Kirtikesh Gadekar.
At the half-hour mark, Dempo had a shot at goal and this time it was Latesh Mandrekar who tried his luck from outside the box, but his shot was easily swallowed by the keeper. Preston then came with another fine save to deny Shallum Pires from a direct free-kick.
Dempo nearly took the lead in the 44th minute but Beevan D'Mello's deft touch to a Darrel Mascarenhas cross missed the side post by inches. Dempo had another chance in the same minute when Preston failed to collect a pass from Richard and the ball fell to Danstan Fernandes, who had an open goal at his sight but his touch proved too heavy with the ball going in the wrong direction.
The Golden Eagles were punished in the next minute with Panjim scoring from their first clear-cut chance. It came from a counter-attack when Valkmiky Miranda, on getting the ball from the goal-kick, passed Lloyd through, who smashed the ball past Melroy Fernandes to give his side a narrow lead at the break.
Dempo made a double change at the restart, introducing Pedro Gonsalves and Suraj Hadkonkar in the game. The first-named almost got an assist when he fed Beevan lone on goal but the lad fired wide from close. Then Richard saw his effort go waste from close.
But the goal finally arrived in the 56th minute and it came from the boots of Beevan. Richard did the initial work and then played a cutback pass to Beevan, who put the ball into the back of the net.
Dempo took the lead in the 58th minute and once again it was Beevan who pounced on a rebound after Preston blocked Pedro's effort from close. Liston Cardozo brought down Beevan outside the box. From the resultant set-piece, Pedro Gonsalves curled in a perfect free-kick at the first post to make it 3-1.
