MARGAO
In a disappointing turn of events for five-time National champions Dempo Sports Club, they suffered a crushing 4-0 loss to Rajasthan United FC at the Nehru Stadium in Fatorda on Saturday.
Rajasthan United's dominant performance ruthlessly exposed Dempo's defensive vulnerabilities, leaving the Goan side with little to offer in terms of resistance.
Rajasthan United’s attackers were relentless from the start, keeping Dempo's defenders under constant pressure. Spain's forward Gerrard Artigas was particularly impressive, making an early run and testing Dempo's goalkeeper with a shot that unsettled their defense.
The match was effectively sealed in the first half when Artigas opened the scoring in the 45th minute. Following the break, the visitors added to their lead with Uruguay’s L Rodrigues finding the net in the 49th minute. Midfielder Pangambam Meetei struck again in the 61st minute, and Spain's A. Oyarzun completed the rout in the 86th minute. Dempo had few opportunities to respond, with their defense failing to contain Rajasthan's attacking onslaught.
Dempo had a chance to break the deadlock early in the game, but a powerful shot from Oyarzun was blocked by goalkeeper Ashish Sibi. Despite some individual efforts, including Ronaldo Johnson’s header, Dempo's attack was lackluster, and they were unable to challenge Rajasthan's solid defense.
The visitors took control in the second half. In the 61st minute, Meetei capitalized on a long ball that got past Dempo’s central defender Mohamed Ali, whose misjudgment allowed Meetei to calmly slip the ball past the goalkeeper and defenders, increasing the lead to 3-0.
The final blow came in the 86th minute when Oyarzun, set up by Cabral, fired a powerful shot from outside the box to seal the emphatic victory for Rajasthan United.
Dempo, who had hoped to build on their recent win against Delhi FC, seemed out of sync and lacked both strategy and intensity. Their defense was sloppy, and the team failed to break down Rajasthan's solid backline. This heavy defeat leaves Dempo in eighth place with 14 points from 12 matches, raising serious concerns about their form and future prospects in the league.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan United FC, fresh from a dramatic turnaround after their heavy loss to Shillong Lajong FC, have gone unbeaten in eight consecutive matches. They now sit fourth in the standings, level on points with third-placed Gokulam Kerala FC with 19 points from 12 matches.
