MARGAO
Dempo Sports Club did their reputation no harm as they coasted to a comfortable 4-0 win over Churchill Brothers Sports Club to romp into the finals of Bandodkar Gold Cup, at Rosary ground, Navelim, on Monday. Dempo led 1-0 at the breather.
Churchill Brothers started the game in attacking fashion and put good pressure on the rival citadel during the first 20 minutes of the game. Churchill created openings and had a golden chance to break the deadlock when Matthew Colaco floated the ball from the right but Manjunath Rathod failed to guide his header into an open goal.
Dempo slowly took over control with captain and midfielder Hayden Fernandes marshalling the midfield with aplomb as he kept his forwards busy with flawless passing and also unleashed long rangers. Dempo had a chance to surge ahead in the 21st minute but Veegan Ferrao failed to beat the rival goalkeeper Aliston Fernandes off a well measured cross from Jayson Lucas. Dempo had another chance but Hayden's freekick missed the mark narrowly.
Veegan Ferrao had another shot on goal which went wayward from close range after he was put on the platter by Jayson Lucas. Veegan atoned for his earlier misses when he beautifully connected a smart header catching the Churchill goalkeeper Aliston Fernandes napping off a well executed freekick by Hayden in the 30th minute, 1-0. Stung by the setback, Churchill went all out in search of equalizer and a Jaison Dias flagkick hit the crossbar at fag end of the first session.
Post resumption, Dempo enjoyed the better share of exchanges and pushed their opponent back with a barrage of attacks. In one such move, Dempo left back Assumption Soares sped down the left flank and unleashed a snap shot which Churchill goalkeeper Aliston Fernandes fisted away but a lurking Jayson Lucas gently punted the ball to give his team a 2-0 cushion in the 72nd minute. Churchill coach Joao made a couple of substitutions but it yielded no result. It was complete domination by Dempo as Vineet Bugde put the issue beyond doubt in the 79th minute when he received a through pass from Jayson Lucas. Dempo could have won by a bigger margin had Josely Dias and Vineet Bugde not muffed sitters. Kapil Hoble scored the fourth and final goal late in the second half.
Assumption Soares, who played a stellar role in the Dempo reargaurd, was adjudged Man of the match and received a cash prize of Rs 5,000 from GFA's Jaju Fernandes.
