MAPUSA
Backed by a vociferous home crowd, the
Panjim-based Dempo Sports Club struck early with Nestor Dias finding the target off a free-kick from Velito Cruz in the fourth minute.
Within three minutes of being a goal-down, FC Pune City had a chance to level scores with their stand-in captain Gani Nigam missing a header arising from a Buanthanglun Samte cross.
As Dempo grew into the game in ball possession and the ball mainly restricted in the opposition half, raids ensued. On the 18 th minute, Beevan D'Mello missed a glorious chance to double the lead when his header went awry from a Nickson Castanha free-kick. By the half-hour mark, Pune effected their first substitution when the reckless Omega was replaced by Sachin Karnan.
On the 35 th minute, Pune's Rahul Yadav who was having a good game had a chance to even scores. His free-kick from just outside the outer box whizzed inches away from the left woodwork. Five minutes later, Dempo's Kapil Hoble with his adroit dribbles manoeuvred his way up to launch a strike which was well fended away by Pune's Pawan Kumar to a corner. The very next minute, Dempo's Castanha's well-directed cross to Naveen Mendes was squandered with the latter's header off target. In the added time, Pune had two opportunities to restore parity.
In the added on time (45+1') Pune's substitute, Sachin Karnan's pin-point corner to the Orange Army's strike-force had the Blue Brigade's citadel shaken with their custodian, Agnelo Gomes collecting the ball on the second attempt. From another corner, Pune's Buanthanglun Samte's crisp shot was headed well by one of the Pune attackers but was met with a neat block.
Post resumption, the first chance from either side came in the 55th minute when Dempo's Kapil Hoble attempted a long ranger which went inches away from the woodwork with a laid Beevan D'Mello valiantly trying to connect and slot home.
Pune's Rahul Yadav's rasping left footer from a cross came just short off the mark on the 75th minute as the opposition custodian Agnel Gomes dived to cover the flying delivery. As the game opened up in the last quarter, Dempo continued to hold the levers on the proceedings as the visitors went for broke.
