DULER
Goan Football Club surprised Dempo Sports Club with a convincing 3-0 win in Goa Football Association’s Professional League, here on Wednesday.
It was the Gaurs ISL striker Liston Colaco, who drew the first blood early in the match, while Yasir Mohammad and Aaren D’Silva fired in two more goals, on crossing the ends. With today’s win, Goan FC have 14 points from 10 outings, while Dempo remain on 24 points from 11 matches. In their first-leg meeting, Dempo had trounced Goan FC 4-0.
However, it was not their day today although Dempo did start with confidence as they had got the better of Vasco SC in their last league match. Mario Mascarenhas came into the starting eleven for Dempo, whereas Goan FC, who had suffered two back-to-back defeats in the last two matches against Salgaocar FC and Sporting Clube de Goa, started with Saviour Gama, Jason Barbosa, Veegan Ferrao and Rinjoy Fernandes.
It was Dempo, who started earnestly to create their first chance when Yogesh brilliantly cut past a defender to enter the penalty area and shot on to the goal, but his strike missed the target narrowly. In the very next minute, Goan FC came close to scoring as Liston found Aaren with a cut-back but the striker saw his grounder brilliantly collected by Dempo goalkeeper Agnelo Gomes.
Just three minutes later, Dempo conceded a penalty when their defender Mario Mascarenhas brought down Liston in the box. The young FC Goa striker kept his cool to score the opening goal as he sent the rival goalkeeper Agnelo the other way.
Dempo lost a glorious chance to level the terms when Mario’s curling free-kick found Nestor Dias in the box, but the U-20 midfielder shot wide from close range. At the other end, Liston almost scored his second goal but his strike from the edge of the box, hit the woodwork.
Crossing over, Goan FC midfielder Krishna Pandit made a superb run on the wing cutting past few Dempo players, but failed to score. However in the 55th minute, they consolidated their lead through Yasir as the attacking midfielder’s scorching strike from the top of the box, entered the bottom corner, to make it 2-0 for Goan FC. Hardly had the Dempo fans overcome the two-goal setback, they were further stunned as the opponents netted their third goal when Aaren D’Silva brilliantly tapped in from close off Veegan Ferrao’s low cross. In the closing stages of the match, Dempo tried their best to get back into the match but the last line of Goan FC outfit, held on to their lead till the final whistle to take full three points from the match.
