Blurb:
With Dempo back among the big guns of Indian football, one can now hope that the Goan challenge at the I-League will certainly have an edge over others
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India's most successful I-League club - Dempo Sports Club - are back in business. On Sunday evening, they were back among the elite clubs of India after having beaten Minerva Academy Football Club 3-1 to earn promotion into I-League, a platform they had made their own with three I-League titles and an additional two won in the previous format - the erstwhile National Football League (NFL). Relegation in the past season - their first since regaining promotion back in 2001 - was a discomforting phase the Golden Eagles had to endure. But, under the guidance of the resilient and seasoned gaffer Mauricio Afonso and their ever-motivating Chairman Shrinivas V Dempo, the Blue brigade never lost hope ever since their worst drop in performance over 14 long years of existence in the national league.
The victory in front of a partisan and vociferous crowd at their home base at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, certainly vindicated the vision Dempo had bestowed upon themselves when they had embarked upon a mission to regain lost glory back in March. Their second division I-League campaign was certainly a litmus test as a gruelling three months of twists and turns did push Mauricio's boys to their limits. But in the end, the brave prevailed, as Dempo, who have always set new standards in Indian and Goan football reached their summit as once again the Dempo flag stood tall exuding pride and reminding the club's vast legion of fans and well-wishers that team Dempo is here to stay in top flight for a long time to come. And, as rightly summed up by club supremo Shrinivas Dempo, the triumph comes at a time when the legendary Goan club celebrates its 50th year of existence in Goa and also commemorates the 100th anniversary of the club's founder.
Victory couldn't have been more well timed and also the fact that Dempo did not waste more than a season to get back into I-League reckoning was also suggestive of the fact that the management did not go into hibernation, which can happen to most average clubs. But in Dempo's case it was not so. The management reposed faith in a young team, that was laced with players who had been in ISL limelight for FC Goa. And, backed by an experienced coach in Mauricio, the Dempo club set upon a mission that had to be accomplished at all costs. There was no room for excuses nor slip-ups as all along their campaign to get back to where they belonged, Dempo did not budge and played with a great degree of zeal and passion only to emerge victors in the end.
Mauricio put his team above other priorities and slowly but steadily mastered the chase to regain promotion. In the end, it was Dempo that won and rightly so breathed a fresh lease of life into Goan football, ensuring the State got back a club that's revered not only in the country but also overseas simply because of its exploits at the AFC level when the club toured during their AFC Cup campaign in the recent past. With Dempo back among the big guns of Indian football, one can now hope that the Goan challenge at the I-League will certainly have an edge over others; and the I-League silverware that had been more synonymous with Dempos would again return to their trophy trove next season.
