The Goan Network
MARGAO
Dempo Sports Club showed they were head and heels above debutants FC Bardez, spanking the newcomers 3-0 in the GFA Pro League at Duler Stadium, Mapusa on Thursday. The Golden Eagles led 2-0 at the break.
Dempo dominated the game right from the word go and the breakthrough came in the very 6th minute when striker Bevan D'Mello raced towards the right flanks and outwitted couple of defenders and fired a snap shot. Bardez goalkeeper Bilal Khan parried away and the lurking speedy winger Anthony D'Souza bulged the net.
Stung by the early reversal, Bardez regrouped quickly and came close in leveling the score in the 9th minute but Dempo goalkeeper Tyson Caido rose to the occasion to palm away rival striker Myron Mendes' volley.
Unfazed, Dempo went into attacking mode and nearly doubled the lead but Anthony D'Souza's left footer was well blocked by Bardez goalkeeper Bilal Khan off a well measured cross from Nigerian striker Felix Odlili Chidi.
In the 27th minute, promising striker Kapil Hoble doubled the lead after Nigerian striker Felix laid him on the platter. Crossing over, Dempo slackened their pace and allowed their oppoents to manouevere inside their territory but could not find the mark due to inept shooting by their forwards.
Nickson Castana who was rock solid at the back came up with neat tackles to deny Latesh Mandrekar and Gaurish Naik. In the 68th minute, FC Bardez came close in reducing the margin in the 68th minute when Girish Naik's well executed 30-yard free kick saw Nigerian striker Koko Sakibo leap high and beat his markers. However, his header kissed the post.
While Bardez did the most of the attacking, in the 87th minute Dempo dealt another blow on rival goal when Anthony D'Souza sent a pass to substitute Milagres Gonsalves on the left flank where the latter in turn sent a fine overlapping cross to Germanpreet Singh who nicely tapped it home much to the joy of The Golden Eagles supporters. With today's win, Dempo climbed to second spot with 35 points from 16 matches, while FC Bardez has 24 points from 16 matches.
